Multidye nanostructured material for optical data storage and security labeling

We report the design, synthesis, and application of a multidye polymer nanocomposite with respect to high-density 3D optical data storage and security labeling. Core-shell latex particles containing visible and near-IR dyes in the core-forming polymer and the shell-forming polymer were used as the functional building blocks to produce a multicolored multiphase polymeric material with a minimized energy transfer between the dyes. The core-shell particles were prepared by copolymerizing dye-labeled monomers with the hosting polymer. Data recording was achieved using confocal fluorescent microscopy by selective photobleaching of the dyes periodically distributed in the nanocomposite film.