Three-dimensional optical memory
First Claim
1. Two-photon three dimensional optical data storage device comprising:
- a volume of a field-oriented bacteriorhodopsin disposed in a carrier medium, confining means holding said volume, and translating means for moving said confining means in each of a plurality of orthogonal directions;
first means for generating a beam of radiation at one or both of two predetermined wavelengths, along one predetermined axis and converging the radiation at a predetermined bit cell access location in the volume;
second means for generating another beam of radiation at one or both of said wavelengths along another predetermined axis and converging the radiation at said predetermined bit cell access location;
wherein illumination by one of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell to a "1" state;
while illumination by the other of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell access location to a complementary "0" state;
transport electrode means disposed on walls of said confining means for sensing an electrical response of said bacteriorhodopsin to stimulation by illumination from said first means and said second means;
and control means coupled to said first means, said second means, and said electrode means for actuating a write sequence wherein when said volume is disposed with an addressed bit cell at said predetermined bit cell access location, said first and second means are both simultaneously actuated to inject radiation at one of said wavelengths into said access location, and then conducting a cleaning sequence in which said first and second means are actuated sequentially to inject radiation at the other of said wavelengths separately along their respective axes to reverse the state of some of the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cells adjacent to said bit cell access location.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A high density rapid access data storage device employs a volume of field-oriented bacteriorhodopsin in a polymer medium, and contained in a vessel that can be accurately displace in three dimensions. X-axis and Y-axis laser illumination systems each converge a beam in the respective direction at a location at which a particular bit cell is to have a "1" or "0" recorded or is to be interrogated. Both laser systems are pulsed on at one wavelength to write a "1" or at a second wavelength to write a "0". After writing, a cleaning step is carried out by actuating the laser systems non-simultaneously at the other of the wavelengths to remove any undesired photochemistry from adjacent bit cells. A read cycle involves actuating two or four lasers, and then discriminating the "1" or "0" state from the electrical signal generated by the medium.
85 Citations
8 Claims
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1. Two-photon three dimensional optical data storage device comprising:
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a volume of a field-oriented bacteriorhodopsin disposed in a carrier medium, confining means holding said volume, and translating means for moving said confining means in each of a plurality of orthogonal directions; first means for generating a beam of radiation at one or both of two predetermined wavelengths, along one predetermined axis and converging the radiation at a predetermined bit cell access location in the volume; second means for generating another beam of radiation at one or both of said wavelengths along another predetermined axis and converging the radiation at said predetermined bit cell access location; wherein illumination by one of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell to a "1" state;
while illumination by the other of said wavelengths is operative to place the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cell access location to a complementary "0" state;transport electrode means disposed on walls of said confining means for sensing an electrical response of said bacteriorhodopsin to stimulation by illumination from said first means and said second means; and control means coupled to said first means, said second means, and said electrode means for actuating a write sequence wherein when said volume is disposed with an addressed bit cell at said predetermined bit cell access location, said first and second means are both simultaneously actuated to inject radiation at one of said wavelengths into said access location, and then conducting a cleaning sequence in which said first and second means are actuated sequentially to inject radiation at the other of said wavelengths separately along their respective axes to reverse the state of some of the bacteriorhodopsin in the bit cells adjacent to said bit cell access location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification