Future generations optical storage systems

Duing the past two decades CD and DVD optical recording systems provided us with an overwelming data storage capacity. Furthermore, the storage density of both CD and DVD largely exceeded the density obtained by other recording technologies. In recent years, however, the situation has changed due to competing technologies. Especially the 60 to 100% annual density increase realized in magnetic hard disc recording calls for new distribution media with comparable capacities. Digitalization of entertainment industry requires high-capacity, removable and cheap storage media for distribution of their digital content. In this respect, the removability of the storage media in optical recording is clearly a major advantage.