Edge detection readout signal and cross-talk in phase-change optical data storage

Readout signal, noise, and cross-track cross talk were investigated for edge detection in a phase-change optical data storage system. Both theoretical and experimental results indicate that edge detection has a performance superior to the conventional detection of reflectance variations, especially when the amorphous marks are shorter than the size of the focused spot. More than 50 dB of carrier to noise ratio for marks of 0.36 μm in length is obtained using light at a wavelength of 690 nm and an objective lens of 0.6 numerical aperture. Diffraction analysis on the cross talk has shown that, in the scheme of land-groove recording, there is no optimum groove depth which can cancel the cross talk from adjacent tracks.