Optical Data Storage-A New Frontier

Abstract

The impact of technology on information began the day catalogue card was devised to store the bibliographic details of a book. Initially, the size of a catalogue card used to be 5x3 in. it was increased to 6x4 in. as need .was felt to record more information. With rapid increase in the volume of scientific literature, microform replaced paper for storing information. With the advent of computers, it appeared that the problem of data storage and retrieval of information had been solved, but soon it was realized that even magnetic medium used for storing information was not sufficient, and floppy disc and hard disk offsetting higher capacity and fast retrieval were developed. But the race between the volume of information generated and the medium for its storage did noted there. Thus, versatile medium of mass storage in the form of optical disc was found.