Abstract: Disclosed is an optical data storage device having incorporated therein an optical data storage medium. The optical data storage device is switchable between at least two detectable states by the application of projected beam and energy thereto. The optical data storage device has a first substantially transparent substrate with a first polymeric adhesive layer thereon characterized by grooves in the form of lands and valleys, a first inorganic encapsulating layer, a layer of the state changeable chalcogenide memory material, a second inorganic encapsulating layer, an adhesive layer, and a second substantially transparent substrate adherant to the adhesive layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a data storage device having a chalcogendata storage medium encapsulated along at least one surface, and preferably both surfaces, by a dielectric barrier layer. The dielectric is compositionally graded in oxygen content with respect to the chalcogen data storage medium. The dielectric is a substantially stoichiometric oxide in proximity to the chalocogen data storage medium, and a substantially non-stoichiometric suboxide remote from the chalcogenide data storage medium. The resulting data storage device is relatively moisture blocking and non-reactive with the chalcogendata storage medium. Also disclosed are methods of making and using the data storage device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical data storage device and a method of making the device. The device has a thin film of a multi-component, phase changeable, chalcogenide material. The thin film is prepared by vacuum deposition of a substantially non-convecting, multi-component, chalcogenide containing first source. The multicomponent source is converted to a non-condensed state, and the non-condensed material is deposited onto the substrate to form a deposit having substantial source/deposit compositional equivalence and the substantial absence of concentration gradients.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coated steel article, e.g., a stainless steel article, having a corrosion resistant coating of disordered silicon carboxynitride over at least a portion of the steel surface. Also disclosed is a method of forming an adherent, ductile, disordered silicon carboxynitride coating on a steel substrate by glow discharge deposition.