Long-term digital data storage

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to recording digital data on an optically ablatable digital storage media. In one embodiment, a device configured to ablate portions of ablatable material on an optically ablatable digital storage media receives digital data that is to be recorded on a recording layer of an optically ablatable digital storage media. The recording layer is formed on a substrate with zero or more intervening layers between the recording layer and the substrate. The recording layer includes ablatable material capable of storing digital data. The device ablates the ablatable material in the recording layer according to a sequence defined by the received digital data such that the ablated portions correspond to data points of the received digital data.

1 . A digital storage media, comprising:
 at least one first support substrate;   a digital data layer supported on the substrate; and   the digital data layer comprising at least one of carbon having multiple, tightly bound carbon-carbon double bonds, silicon, aluminum, and glass;   wherein the digital data layer is ablated or ablatable by a laser or a laser diode.   
   
   
       2 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media further comprises an absorptive layer adjacent to the digital data layer; and   the absorbtive layer is configured to absorb ablatable material that is not entirely ablated during an ablation.   
   
   
       3 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media further comprises an absorptive layer including a stiff, foamed structure adjacent to the digital data layer; and   the absorbtive layer is configured to absorb ablatable material that is not entirely ablated during an ablation.   
   
   
       4 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media further comprises an absorptive layer adjacent to the digital data layer;   the absorbtive layer is configured to absorb ablatable material that is not entirely ablated during an ablation; and   the absorptive layer is also a protective layer.   
   
   
       5 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media further comprises an absorptive layer adjacent to the digital data layer;   the absorbtive layer is configured to absorb ablatable material that is not entirely ablated during an ablation;   the absorptive layer is also a protective layer; and   the absorptive layer is also a data layer such that the absorptive layer is a combination ablatable protective-absorptive layer.   
   
   
       6 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , further comprising ablations in the data layer
 wherein the ablations proceed through the entire data layer.   
   
   
       7 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the digital storage media comprises ablatable silicon in the data layer. 
   
   
       8 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the digital storage media comprises ablatable aluminum in the data layer. 
   
   
       9 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media comprises ablatable aluminum in the data layer; and   the ablatable aluminum is at least one of anodized and acid etched to darken ablated pits for increased contrast.   
   
   
       10 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media comprises ablatable aluminum in the data layer; and   the ablatable aluminum forms a single rigid, protective, absorptive, and reflective data layer.   
   
   
       11 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the digital storage media comprises ablatable glass in the data layer. 
   
   
       12 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one second substrate;   wherein the data layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.   
   
   
       13 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , further comprising a reflective layer that both reflects energy from the writing device and adheres to each of two layers adjacent the reflective layer. 
   
   
       14 . The digital storage media of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the digital storage media is configured to produce a permanent change in the media including indelible marks formed by ablation; and   the marks are permanent and readable for hundreds of years.   
   
   
       15 . A digital data storage system, comprising:
 a writing device; and   a digital storage media comprising a material that is susceptible to a permanent change in the material in response to an input from the writing device;   wherein:
 the material comprises carbon having multiple tightly bonded carbon-carbon double bonds, silicon, glass, or combinations thereof; and 
 the material is robust against degradation subsequent to the permanent change. 
   
   
   
       16 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein the writing device comprises at least one of a thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical, light, and sound energy source. 
   
   
       17 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein the writing device is at least one of a shaping and forming device that permanently shapes or permanently forms data points in a data layer of the digital storage media. 
   
   
       18 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein the writing device ablates the material. 
   
   
       19 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the digital storage media comprises ablatable silicon in a data layer; and   the writing device is configured to ablate the silicon.   
   
   
       20 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the digital storage media comprises ablatable aluminum; and   the writing device is configured to ablate the aluminum.   
   
   
       21 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the digital storage media comprises ablatable glass; and   the writing device is configured to ablate the glass.   
   
   
       22 . The digital data storage system of  claim 15 , wherein the digital storage media and the writing device are configured to produce the permanent change in the media as indelible marks formed by ablation, wherein the marks are permanent and readable for hundreds of years. 
   
   
       23 . A method of preparing a digital storage media, the method comprising:
 providing at least one first substrate;   providing at least one second substrate;   supporting at least one data layer material comprising a carbon having multiple tightly bonded carbon-carbon double bonds, silicon, glass, or combinations thereof on the first substrate;   covering the data layer material with the second substrate; and   ablating the data layer material with a laser after the covering step.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the ablating step comprises producing a permanent change in the media by forming marks that are readable for hundreds of years.