Acridizinium-Substituted Dendrimers As a New Potential Rewritable Optical Data Storage Material for Blu-ray

A second-generation (acridizinium)(12)-dendrimer based on a poly(2,2-bis(hydroxymethylpropionic acid)) [bis-MPA] scaffold which can undergo photoinduced (4 pi + 4 pi) cycloaddition reactions on exposure to blue-violet light at 405 nm, and be reversed upon irradiation at 257 nm, has been synthesized. This provides an alternative chromophore for rewritable optical data storage media to the existing dye materials such as azo, cyanine, and phthalocyanine dyes for Blu-ray recording. The compound was initially tested in ethanol, showing good reversible properties and photoinduced degree of dimerization. The (acridizinium)(12)-bis-MPA dendrimer was cast on a quartz plate, using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a matrix, in order to simulate conditions found in DVD discs for existing dyes. The film showed good transmission, stability, and mechanical properties. Through gray scale recording it may be possible to store more than 75 GB on a single-layer disk of a conventional-sized 5.25 in. disk, Using existing Blu-ray disc technology.