Spectrally coded optical data storage by metal nanoparticles

In metal nanoparticles the resonance wavelength of light-driven collective electron oscillations is determined by the particle shape. This shape dependence can be used for optical data storage by spectral coding. In this way the storage density can be increased by at least a factor of 5 compared with that for conventional optical storage principles. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America. OCIS codes: 210.0210, 290.5850, 240.6680, 260.3910.