Tandy Corporation

Other

United Module Corporation, Inc.

Bryan K Clark

Robert Guerra

Joel D Finegan

Paul R Goldberg

Sheryl L Johnson

Stephen D Pacetti

Atef H Eltoukhy

Edward F Teng

Randall W Cook

Michael B Martin

Wilfred M Goh

Robert F Ray

Compositely micro-textured thin film, magnetic disc media, with methods and apparatus for producing such, which are characterized by the incorporation of a first stage of micro-texturing provided by etching of a disc substrate, with a second, disparate, micro-texturing stage depositing rounded globules of eutectic alloy on the etched substrate.

Enhanced methods and apparatus for producing micro-textured, thin film, magnetic disc media and compositely micro-textured disc media produced thereby

Write-once and erasable recording media (1) and a method of manufacturing such media. According to one aspect of the invention, one or more active layers (26, 30) of the optical data storage medium is formed by spin-on techniques. According to this aspect of the invention, the material used in forming the active layer is formed before the formation of the center aperture (4) in the optical disc. This aspect of the invention provides a substantially smaller 'wedge' than prior methods. According to one preferred aspect of the invention, tracking grooves (24) in a flexible sheet (22) are bonded to a substantially rigid substrate (18). The sheet is bound to the substrate such that the tracking marks are directed away from the substrate. The active layers of an optical recording media are then formed on the sheet by, for example, spin-on techniques.

Low cost substrate for bump-forming recording media

An apparatus and method for erasing data from optical media in dual beam systems. The erase spot is focused to have a diameter equal to three times the track pitch of the medium. The larger erase spot eases spot alignment requirements since even beam misalignments of half a track width still supply enough energy to the medium to erase the data bump. The larger erase spot heats a larger area more gradually than a single track width erase beam and thereby also enables a more complete erasure of the medium.

Enlarged-spot erasure of optical media in dual-beam systems

An optical storage medium is disclosed. In general, the storage medium includes a substrate, with a first, expansion layer, a second, reflective layer bonded to the first layer, and a third, retention layer bonded to the second layer, opposite the first layer. An opto-electronic system for recording data is also disclosed, along with a method of manufacture of the storage medium.

Recording method and apparatus

A method and apparatus for recording and reading both permanently stored information and user-supplied information on an optical disk are disclosed. The optical disk is provided with permanent information via pits in a substrate of the disk. User-supplied information is recorded in an expansion/retention layer adjacent the substrate. The permanent and user-supplied information may be read via laser beams having unequal wavelengths.

Interactive optical disk

A method of achieving a bulk erasure of a dye polymer optical storage media which includes a substrate, an expansion layer, and a retention layer. The optical storage media is placed into a temperature controlled environment in which the temperature is increased at a first prescribed rate to a prescribed temperature exceeding the glass transition temperature of the retention layer of the media. Above the glass transition temperature, the retention layer is transformed from a glass-like state to a viscoelastic state. While in the viscoelastic state, the retention layer shape conforms to the expansion layer to achieve the unrecorded media configuration (i.e. flat). The temperature of the controlled environment is maintained at the prescribed temperature for a specified period of time to achieve the bulk erasure, then reduced at a second prescribed rate. By controlling the prescribed temperature and specified time period, the media is erased in bulk providing an unrecorded media ready for use. The prescribed temperature, specified time period and temperature change rates are selected to avoid thermal shock and polymer degradation and thus enable many record/erase transitions of the media.

Thermal bulk erasure method for dye polymer optical media

An optical storage medium is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment a substrate is provided with an expansion layer. A retention layer is provided opposite the substrate. A liquid reflective layer is provided adjacent the retention layer, either adjacent to or opposite the expansion layer. The reflective layer is enclosed by a protective layer. Improved expansion and retention layers are also disclosed.

Erasable recording media

An improvement is disclosed relating to optical data storage media having two thermo-optically active layers which absorb light at distinct wavelengths--an expansion layer in which data appear as bulges formed upon the absorption of light, and a retention layer which fixes such bulges in place until it is selectively heated to a rubbery state permitting relaxation of the expansion layer and the consequent disappearance of the bulges. In accordance with the improvement, the retention layer is modified so that it absorbs a controlled amount of light at the wavelength which is absorbed by the expansion layer, with the result that it absorbs light at both wavelengths rather than just one. Direct heating of both layers by light absorption during recordation, and accordingly a faster recordation response, are thus achieved.

Dye-polymer optical data storage media with improved recording

Recordable/erasable optical storage media are disclosed. More particularly, it provides a method and apparatus for recording and erasing information on an optical storage medium. The medium of the present invention generally includes a rigid substrate and an active region or layer adjacent to the substrate. The active region is a single polymer layer that functions as both an expansion layer and a retention layer. Reflective and protective layers may or may not be present. Additionally, methods for writing and erasing on these media are described.

Single polymer layer recordable/erasable optical media

Recording medium having an insulating layer

The entire data content of a thermally erasable optical memory medium is erased simultaneously by irradiating the entire signal-retaining layer of the medium with light in such a manner that the signal-retaining layer is preferentially heated over other layers in the medium, particularly other thermo-optically active layers if any are present. The irradiation is most effectively achieved with a flash of light at high intensity and short duration.

Bulk eraser for optical memory media

An improvement is disclosed relating to optical data storage media having two thermo-optically active layers which absorb light at distinct wavelengths and expansion layer in which data appear as bulges formed upon the absorption of light, and a retention layer which fixes such bulges inplace until it is selectively heated to a rubbery state permitting relaxation of the expansion layer and the consequent disappearance of the bulges. In accordance with the improvement, the retention layer is modified so that it absorbs a controlled amount of light at the wavelength which is absorbed by the expansion layer, with the result that it absorbs light at both wavelengths rather than just one. Direct heating of both layers by light absorption during recordation, and accordingly a faster recordation response, are thus achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Bryan K Clark