Optical data storage media and methods for using the same

1. An optical data storage medium comprising:

a polymer matrix comprising polyvinylalcohol, poly(alkyl methacrylate), poly(alkyl acrylate), polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(vinyl acetate), or a combination thereof;

a reactant capable of undergoing a change upon triplet excitation, thereby causing a refractive index change, wherein the reactant comprises a cinnamate, a cinnamate derivative, a cinnamamide derivative, or a combination thereof; and

a non-linear sensitizer capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to said reactant, wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises a triarylmethane dye, a Pyronin Y dye, or a combination thereof;

wherein the refractive index change capacity of the optical data storage medium is at least about 0.005.

2. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the refractive index change of the medium is at least 0.05.

3. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the reactant comprises polyvinylcinnamate (PVCm), polyvinyl 4-chlorocinnamate (PV4-ClCm), polyvinyl 3-chlorocinnamate (PV3-ClCm), polyvinyl 2-chlorocinnamate (PV2-ClCm), polyvinyl 4-methoxycinnamate (PV4-MeOCm), polyvinyl 3-methoxycinnamate (PV3-MeOCm), polyvinyl 2-methoxycinnamate (PV2-MeOCm), (2E,2′E)-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-phenylacrylate), (2E,2′E)-(1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(4-chlorophenylacrylate), (2E,2′E)-(1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylate), (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-phenyl)acrylamide (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-(4-chlorophenyl)acrylamide), (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diaryl)bis(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylamide, or a combination thereof.

4. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the medium is capable of storing microholographic data.

5. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising a mediator capable of transferring energy between the non-linear sensitizer and the reactant.

6. The optical data storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the mediator comprises acetophenone, dimethylphthalate, benzophenone, 9H-fluorene, biphenyl, phenanthrene, 1-napthonitrile, or a combination thereof.

7. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises a reverse saturable absorber.

8. The optical data storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises ethyl violet, crystal violet, rose Bengal, Rhodamine 123, Pyronin Y, crystal violet lactone, or a combination thereof.

9. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , further comprising a photo stabilizer.

10. The optical data storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the photostabilizer comprises bisdithiobenzil nickel.

11. The optical data storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the reactant and non-linear sensitizer are distributed substantially homogenously throughout the polymer matrix.

12. An optical data storage medium for the bit-wise recording of microholographic data comprising:

a polymer matrix comprising polyvinylalcohol, poly(alkyl methacrylate), poly(alkyl acrylate), polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(vinyl acetate), or a combination thereof;

a reactant capable of undergoing a change upon triplet excitation, thereby causing a refractive index, wherein the reactant comprises a cinnamate, a cinnamate derivative, a cinnamamide derivative, or a combination thereof; and

a non-linear sensitizer comprising a reverse saturable absorber capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to said reactant, wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises a triarylmethane dye, a Pyronin Y dye, or a combination thereof;

wherein the refractive index change capacity of the optical data storage medium is at least about 0.005.

13. The optical data storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the refractive index change of the medium is at least about 0.05.

14. The optical data storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the reactant comprises polyvinylcinnamate (PVCm), polyvinyl 4-chlorocinnamate (PV4-ClCm), polyvinyl 3-chlorocinnamate (PV3-ClCm), polyvinyl 2-chlorocinnamate (PV2-ClCm), polyvinyl 4-methoxycinnamate (PV4-MeOCm), polyvinyl 3-methoxycinnamate (PV3-MeOCm), polyvinyl 2-methoxycinnamate (PV2-MeOCm), (2E,2′E)-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-phenylacrylate), (2E,2′E)-(1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(4-chlorophenylacrylate), (2E,2′E)-(1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylate), (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-phenyl)acrylamide (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diyl)bis(3-(4-chlorophenyl)acrylamide), (2E,2′E)-N,N′-((1S,2S)-cyclohexane-1,2-diaryl)bis(3-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylamide, or a combination thereof.

15. The optical data storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises ethyl violet, crystal violet, rose Bengal, Rhodamine 123, Pyronin Y, crystal violet lactone, or a combination thereof.

16. The optical data storage medium of claim 12 , further comprising a mediator capable of transferring energy between the non-linear sensitizer and the reactant.

17. The optical data storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the mediator comprises acetophenone, dimethylphthalate, benzophenone, 9H-fluorene, biphenyl, phenanthrene, 1-napthonitrile, or a combination thereof.

18. A method for optical data storage comprising:

providing an optical data storage medium comprising:

a polymer matrix comprising polyvinylalcohol, poly(alkyl methacrylate), poly(alkyl acrylate), polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, poly(vinylidene chloride), poly(vinyl acetate), or a combination thereof,

a reactant capable of undergoing a change upon triplet excitation, thereby causing a refractive index change, wherein the reactant comprises a cinnamate, a cinnamate derivative, a cinnamamide derivative, or a combination thereof, and

a non-linear sensitizer capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to said reactant, wherein the non-linear sensitizer comprises a triarylmethane dye, a Pyronin Y dye, or a combination thereof; and

recording a microhologram in said optical data storage medium.