Overview
- Published in Nature, the prototype stores about 4.8 terabytes on a 12×12 cm, 2 mm‑thick glass chip by stacking 301 data layers.
- Data are written with femtosecond laser pulses that form three‑dimensional voxels whose position and orientation encode bits, with the project now using lower‑cost borosilicate glass instead of fused silica.
- An automated microscope reads the glass line by line, and machine‑learning algorithms check plausibility and correct errors, with the latest setup operating with a single camera.
- Accelerated‑aging tests indicate data remained retrievable after conditions equivalent to 10,000 years at 290°C, though real‑world chemical corrosion and mechanical breakage still require evaluation.
- Peak writing reached up to 65.9 megabits per second using four lasers, and the immutable voxels position the technology for cold archives rather than frequently updated storage.