High‐Density Data Recording in an Optoelectrical Dual‐Responsive Thin Film

Abstract

High-density data storage has been receiving much attention with the ever-increasing amount of stored data and the continuous miniaturization of optoelectronic devices. To increase the storage density, various recording schemes have been explored; these include scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) for achieving maximal area density and two-photon excitation (TPE) for recording information in multiple layers ; these techniques are considered as two of the most attractive. Meanwhile, the development of novel recording media is also a critical factor to achieve high-density storage. Organic materials, due to their good stimuli-responsive properties, versatility in molecular design, and low cost, have been proved to be promising candidates. In past decades, great progress has been made using different organic media both in nanoscale electrical data recording and in high-density optical information storage, which utilize their electrical bistability and light characteristics such as refractive index, fluorescence properties, and absorption spectrum. However, most of these achievements were based on the single-mode (photon or charge) modulation of the recording materials. For practical application in high-density data storage and also to enhance the multifunctionality of optoelectronic devices, media that would permit the manipulation of optical and electrical signals with alternative operating modes such as multimode are more desirable. Although it has been proposed that multiple physical channels, such as optical, electrical, and magnetic schemes, could be utilized for recording and transmitting information using a multifunctional material, so far there have been few reports on simultaneously achieving optical and electrical recordings in a stable material. The main problems may be the difficulty in finding a suitable multiresponse medium, and amplifying the effects of molecular multiresponse in the solid state.