Researchers perform an experiment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024.

A three-dimensional nanoscale optical disk memory with petabit capacity has been developed at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, according to an article published on Feb. 22 in Nature.

The research team managed to increase the capacity of optical data storage to the petabit level by extending the planar recording architecture to three dimensions with hundreds of layers, while also breaking the optical diffraction limit barrier of the recorded spots. The minimum spot size and lateral track pitch are 54 nm and 70 nm, respectively.

The team developed an optical recording medium based on a photoresist film doped with aggregation-induced emission dye, which can be optically stimulated by femtosecond laser beams.

The new technology marks the world's first achievement of a petabit-level capacity optical disk. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Zhao Miao debugs experiment equipment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researchers perform an experiment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Zhao Miao debugs experiment equipment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Researcher Zhao Miao shows a three-dimensional nanoscale optical disk memory with petabit capacity at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Researchers perform an experiment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Researcher Ruan Hao works at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This photo taken on Feb. 29, 2024 shows experiment materials in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Zhao Miao observes experiment materials at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Reseachers wear masks at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Researcher Zhao Miao shows a three-dimensional nanoscale optical disk memory with petabit capacity in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researcher Zhao Miao observes experiment materials via a microscope at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

Researchers perform an experiment at a laboratory in the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in east China's Shanghai, Feb. 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)