Methods for application of a tag onto a media article

1. A method for tagging a media article, comprising:

modifying predetermined locations on the media article to change a surface energy of the predetermined locations;

applying a tag to the media article; and

retaining the tag in the modified predetermined locations while the tag is removed from unmodified regions.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the tag comprises subjecting the media article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces, and wherein the tag is removed from the unmodified regions by the centrifugal forces.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tag comprises spectroscopic tag.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the spectroscopic tag is selected from the group consisting of: organic dyes, organic pigments, inorganic dyes, inorganic pigments, nanocrystals, nanoparticles, quantum dots, organic fluorophores, inorganic fluorophores, and combinations comprising at least one of these tags.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein excitation wavelengths of the spectroscopic tag is in a range of operation of a laser diode used in an optical media article drive, and wherein a readout of the tag is performed by the laser of the optical media article drive.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein excitation wavelengths of the spectroscopic tag is in a range of operation outside of the laser diode used in an optical media article player or recorder, and wherein a readout of the tag is performed outside of the optical media article player.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media article comprises an optically transparent substrate with the tag on a laser-incident surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media article comprises an optically transparent substrate with the tag on a data layer adjacent to a reflective layer.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein a material of the article is selected and/or modified to provide required properties for the retention of the dissolved tag on the article.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the modifications are selected from the group consisting of different copolymer materials, surface-segregating additives, endcapping, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing modifications.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the modifying comprises using light-induced surface modification.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing the tag from the unmodified regions comprises washing off excess tag by applying a pure solvent onto the media article.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media article is an optical media article and wherein the tag does not interfere with optical properties of the optical media article.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying predetermined locations comprises using a radiation source; and wherein applying the tag comprises dissolving a dye in an appropriate solvent to form a solution, and applying the solution to the media article.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising applying the solution while the media article is undergoing a spinning motion, and wherein the dye is removed from the unmodified regions by centrifugal forces produced from the spinning motion.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the dye is a fluorophore.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tag is a fluorescent material.

18. A method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the predetermined locations comprises modifying predetermined locations on a surface of a coating of the media article.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the tag and retaining the tag in the modified predetermined locations further comprises subjecting the article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein modifying the predetermined locations comprises using light-induced surface modification.

21. A method for tagging a media article, comprising:

modifying predetermined locations on the media article to change a surface energy of the predetermined locations;

applying a tag to the media article; and

retaining the tag in unmodified regions while the tag is removed from the modified predetermined locations.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein applying the tag comprises subjecting the article to a spinning motion that produces centrifugal forces.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the tag comprises a spectroscopic tag.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the media article comprises an optically transparent substrate with the tag on a laser-incident surface of the substrate.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the media article comprises an optically transparent substrate with the tag on a data layer adjacent to a reflective layer.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the predetermined locations on the surface of the article are modified using chemical modification.