Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, a data layer with a mark/space structure arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, and a cover layer. One track comprises positive marks and a neighboring track comprises negative marks. The tracks are arranged in particular as spirals wherein one spiral contains a track with only positive marks and a neighboring spiral contains a track with only negative marks. The positive marks of a track and correspondingly the negative marks of a track are separated each by spaces. The optical storage medium is particularly a read-only optical disc and comprises a mask layer with a super resolution near field structure, wherein the tracks of the data layer are arranged as two spirals, one spiral consisting of positive marks only and the other spiral consisting of negative marks only.

Abstract: Optical pickup 24 for operation in the far-field and in the near-field mode comprising a movable part 26 having an objective lens 2 comprising a solid immersion lens 4 and a multifocal lens 6, which are both disposed on a common optical axis A. The multifocal lens 6 comprises a central zone 8 and a peripheral zone 10 being circumferential to the central zone 8. The peripheral zone is adapted to constitute an optical system for a far-field mode. The central zone 8 of the multifocal lens 6 together with the solid immersion lens 4 are adapted to constitute an optical system for a near-field mode. The solid immersion lens and the multifocal lens are adapted to be moved in unison.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a pickup with a laser, a detector unit and an objective lens for reading data from or writing data to a Super-RENS optical storage medium having a track pitch below the optical resolution limit, the pickup generating a main beam for reading and/or writing of data and generating two satellite beams for providing a tracking error signal, the three beams being focused by the objective lens onto the optical storage medium, and the reflected light from the optical storage medium being guided onto the detector unit. The main beam and the two satellite beams have a light intensity on the optical storage medium being sufficient for providing a super-resolution effect for the main beam as well as for each satellite beam. The light intensity of the two satellite beams is each in the order of 50 to 100% of the intensity of the main beam, if the apparatus is used for reading of data.

Abstract: The method provides a recording of data on a rotating disc by using an electron beam for recording marks along a track on the disc, the electron beam performing a wobble oscillation in a radial direction of the disc with a wobble amplitude for recording at least two tracks in parallel, and modulating the electron beam intensity for recording alternatingly a mark or a fraction of a mark of the first track or the second track. For recording a mark of a defined width, the electron beam is switched on in accordance with the mark width of the marks of each specific track, and is switched off for providing spaces between the marks of each track or a land area separating the marks of the first and second track. The method is used advantageously for recording tracks with a track pitch being below the diffraction limit for manufacturing a master disc for a production of read-only optical discs with a high data density.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, and a data layer having a mark/space data structure with data arranged in tracks on the substrate layer, wherein between neighboring tracks alternatingly a groove section or a land section without a groove is arranged. The tracks, groove sections and land sections may be arranged by providing a single spiral, two spirals, or four spirals on the optical storage medium. The optical storage medium is in particular an optical disc comprising a nonlinear layer with a super-resolution structure arranged above the data layer.

Abstract: The recordable optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer, a data layer and a first and a second protection layer for the data layer, wherein the data layer comprises a semiconductor layer and a dopant layer with a doping material usable for doping the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A high data density optical recording medium, a method and an apparatus for reading from such an optical recording medium, and a method for mastering such an optical recording medium are proposed. For achieving a high data density the optical recording medium has marks that have a tip and are covered by a material that generates a detectable effect under the influence of high electric fields.

Abstract: The optical storage medium according to the invention uses a mask layer as a super resolution near field structure, which comprises a doped semiconductor material. The semiconductor material is n-doped particularly such that the reflectivity of the semiconductor material is increased, when irradiated with a laser beam. As a semiconductor material advantageously an indium alloy and as a doping material selenium or tellurium can be used. For the manufacturing of a respective optical storage medium a sputtering method for depositing the doped semiconductor material as the mask layer can be used, wherein the dopant is included already in the semiconductor sputtering target.

Abstract: The device comprises a scanning apparatus with a pickup for reading and/or recording data on a storage medium, a holding fixture for providing a parking position for the scanning apparatus, and a magnetic drive actuator for a movement of the scanning apparatus, wherein the holding fixture comprises a heat sink for cooling down the pickup. The scanning apparatus is in particular of a swing arm type and the pickup is an optical pickup comprising a laser diode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a slider having a constant flying height for an optical drive which is operated at a constant angular velocity. It is an object of the invention to propose a simple and cost-effective solution to allow the flying height of the slider to be kept virtually constant over the entire area of a storage medium, despite a variable linear velocity during operation at a constant angular velocity. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a drive for a storage medium which is driven at a constant angular velocity, having a slider which is attached by means of a spring arm to a carriage and floats on an air cushion above or under the rotating storage medium, and having a guide which guides the carriage relative to the storage medium, in which the guide is arranged such that the attachment point of the spring arm to the carriage is guided closer to the surface of the storage medium as the radius of the storage medium increases.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises a substrate layer and a data layer with a mark/space structure arranged in tracks, wherein a sequence of marks of a first track have a first width, and a sequence of marks of a neighboring track have a second width being different from the first width. The optical storage medium is in particular an optical disc, on which the tracks are arranged as spirals, circular rings or segmented circular rings.

Abstract: The optical storage medium comprises tracks with a mark/space data structure, wherein the tracks comprise alternately partitioned marks and not partitioned marks. The partitioned marks are partitioned in particular in tracking direction and are partitioned in two parts, advantageously in two equal parts. The partitions are arranged advantageously such that one track comprises not partitioned marks and a neighboring track comprises partitioned marks, for reducing the track pitch of the optical storage medium and for providing an increased data capacity. The optical storage medium is in a preferred embodiment an optical disc comprising a mask layer with a suitable material for providing a super resolution near field effect, and the data structure of the optical disc comprises two spirals which have either partitioned marks or not partitioned marks.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a pickup with a laser, a detector unit and an objective lens for reading data from or writing data to a Super-RENS optical storage medium having a track pitch below the optical resolution limit, the pickup generating a main beam for reading and/or writing of data and generating two satellite beams for providing a tracking error signal, the three beams being focused by the objective lens onto the optical storage medium, and the reflected light from the optical storage medium being guided onto the detector unit. The main beam and the two satellite beams have a light intensity on the optical storage medium being sufficient for providing a super-resolution effect for the main beam as well as for each satellite beam. The light intensity of the two satellite beams is each in the order of 50 to 100% of the intensity of the main beam, if the apparatus is used for reading of data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a holographic disk medium (1) with servo marks (7), and more specifically to a holographic disk medium (1) having a common reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8). According to the invention, a holographic disk medium (1) with a recording layer (2) for recording holograms (6) and a reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8), includes servo marks (7) which are located in the reflective layer (3) at least partly below the holograms (6), wherein the servo marks (7) are designed such that their influence on the object and reference beams (8) is minimized.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a slider having a constant flying height for an optical drive which is operated at a constant angular velocity. It is an object of the invention to propose a simple and cost-effective solution to allow the flying height of the slider to be kept virtually constant over the entire area of a storage medium, despite a variable linear velocity during operation at a constant angular velocity. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a drive for a storage medium which is driven at a constant angular velocity, having a slider which is attached by means of a spring arm to a carriage and floats on an air cushion above or under the rotating storage medium, and having a guide which guides the carriage relative to the storage medium, in which the guide is arranged such that the attachment point of the spring arm to the carriage is guided closer to the surface of the storage medium as the radius of the storage medium increases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a holographic disk medium (1) with servo marks (7), and more specifically to a holographic disk medium (1) having a common reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8). According to the invention, a holographic disk medium (1) with a recording layer (2) for recording holograms (6) and a reflective layer (3) for reflecting a servo beam (9) and object and reference beams (8), includes servo marks (7) which are located in the reflective layer (3) at least partly below the holograms (6), wherein the servo marks (7) are designed such that their influence on the object and reference beams (8) is minimized.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording angular multiplexed pits on optical recording media using a device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution is described. The device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution has at least one light influencing part for introducing a phase shift of 180° in a first half of the light beam relative to the second half of the light beam, wherein the border between the first half of the light beam and the second half of the light beam is rotatable around an optical axis of the light beam.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flexible slider-loading mechanism for an optical drive with interchangeable optical storage media. A slider-loading mechanism according to the invention for an optical drive, having a slider which is fastened on a resilient arm and is lowered onto the surface of an optical storage medium and/or raised from the surface of the optical storage medium, is characterized in that a loading element which is not connected to the resilient arm is provided, the loading element acting on the resilient arm and causing the slider to be lowered and/or raised.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for storing data in a prerecorded area of an optical recording medium, and to an optical recording medium having at least one prerecorded area in which data is stored according to the method. It is an object to propose a method for storing data in a prerecorded area of an optical recording medium using pits and lands, whereby the signal obtained from the pits and lands is compatible with a high frequency modulated groove signal. According to the invention, the pits and lands adjacent to bit cell signal transitions are arranged in a predefined manner, either in a fixed recurring sequence of pits and lands or symmetrically to the bit cell signal transitions.