Microsoft researchers have discovered how to store data inside glass using lasers

Most of the world’s information is stored digitally today. Every year, we produce more data than we did the previous year. Now, with AI in the picture, a technology that relies on large data sets, the amount of digital information we save is increasing exponentially.

Microsoft’s research arm is working on a data storage method that uses lasers to write inside glass. Researchers say that the information written on the glass will last for 10,000 years.

If this method can be scaled up for commercial use, it could change the way we store information around the world. Data rot – the loss of information due to legacy storage systems – means that we have to move data at least once every generation to retain it. Otherwise, it deteriorates with age.

Richard Black, Microsoft’s Silica Project research director, tells CNET that his work shows that long-term digital storage in glass is practical, not just a science experiment.

“One of the biggest challenges in storage today is that media wears out and needs to be replaced regularly,” says Black. “Glass doesn’t have that problem.”

Using lasers to modify pieces of glass to keep data safe for many years can have a radical and lasting impact on all the information we decide to keep.

Glass memory

Storing data in glass instead of using traditional digital systems is a project Microsoft has been working on for a long time. here video CNET prepared the project six years ago, when it was just an idea.

On February 18, the Microsoft Silica project was published paper In the journal Nature that shows real progress on this long-term project. One big development is writing information on a less expensive material, making this technology more affordable.

Originally, the researchers used a glass called fused silica. But this material, which is used in laser and semiconductor device components, is expensive to manufacture, which could make the storage technology cost prohibitive for many purposes.

Now, researchers have discovered how to store information in a strong glass used in kitchen utensils, called borosilicate glass. This material reduces the cost significantly.

Laser writing

To write on glass, the Silica Project uses a femtosecond laser. A femtosecond is one quadrillionth of a second. This type of laser emits ultra-fast pulses. It is commonly used in eye surgeries because it can cut from below without damaging the surface.

To store information, a laser cuts voxels inside the glass. A pixel is similar to a pixel, but stores information in three dimensions, like a cube, instead of two. The video game Minecraft is known to use voxels to create its worlds.

“The key breakthrough is what the team calls phasic voxels: small, controllable changes inscribed within ordinary borosilicate glass with a single laser pulse,” Black says. “This makes writing and reading data easier and faster, and allows the use of low-cost glass instead of specialized materials.”

Since glass is a solid material, it will not change over time. That’s why this storage method can maintain data integrity for a much longer period than a standard computer system.

To retrieve the information, the Silica Project created archives to preserve the pieces of glass. The robots retrieve the glass, and the neural network then reads the data written inside. Microsoft has Website It shows robots zooming into the archive to recover the glass.

Permanent storage

Microsoft has already used this storage technology in proofs of concept. In 2019, Silica Project 1978 Superman movie storage Inside is a piece of glass the size of a drinking glass.

In Svalbard, Norway, this technology is being used in… World music vault The project, which was designed to “future-proof” a wide range of music. Microsoft also says this technology could complement projects like the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Doomsday vault Which contains a repository of seeds from different plants around the world.

“Glass is very durable and can withstand heat, humidity, electromagnetic interference, and physical damage much better than hard drives or magnetic tape,” Black says. “They also last much longer, meaning the data doesn’t have to be re-copied every few years.

“Because it is naturally tamper-resistant and does not require continuous power or frequent replacement, it is particularly suitable for archives,” he continues. “Over long periods of time, it can also be more sustainable than current storage technologies.”