Improvement of Three-Dimensional Resolution in Optical Data Storage by Combination of Two Annular Binary Phase Filters

We present an improved confocal readout system to achieve three-dimensional superresolution. This improved system is based on a combination of two different annular binary phase filters, the one designed for increasing the transverse superresolution and the other for achieving axial superresolution. By adjusting the pupil parameters, each pupil can be well designed. The simulation results show that with this improved system, the area of the central lobe of the three-dimensional point spread function of the read optics is greatly reduced. Moreover, the side-lobes are extinguished.