HoloMem: Developing a novel holographic data storage technology to address the growing need within global data storage

UK-based SME, HoloMem, aims to develop a pioneering, low-cost holographic data storage (HDS) solution that offers high areal densities and low-energy usage. HoloMem's novel approach will address the need for exponential data storage capacity growth within the global datasphere for archival and cloud storage.

Existing data-centres/rooms consume ~2% of worldwide electricity \[AKCP,2022\], growing exponentially towards 8% of total global demand by 2030 \[EnergyInnovationLLP,2022\]. ~40% of data-centre running costs are attributed to air-conditioning to stabilise thermal environments for data storage hardware \[ITPro,2022\]. Current solutions are energy-intensive and don't have the capacity to rapidly scale to market demand without significant infrastructure development (energy production and data-centres).

~3.7bn people use the internet, generating 2,500 Petabytes(PB) of data/day. By 2025, 160 Zettabytes(ZB) (160,000,000 PB) of data will need to be stored annually. This is projected to increase 33x by 2035 to 2,14 ZB. Existing solutions such as linear-open-tape (LTOv9), hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD) are energy-intensive, costly to maintain, and expensive at scale.

HoloMem has created a demonstrable automated prototype that writes/reads data as micro-holograms on photopolymer media. The technology relies on readily-accessible materials, allowing rapid manufacturability/scalability, and requires no active cooling whilst in operation.

In this project HoloMem will optimise data storage densities, reduce noise/interference and identify the most efficient combination of laser intensity and exposure length to optimise for low-energy data recording and image clarity. Industrial testing of various photopolymer types will inform on the best selection for HoloMem's applications, whilst considering maximum longevity and recyclability (particularly end-of-life).

HoloMem's project differentiates from other attempts to use photorefractive crystals in conjunction with holography because of its use of well-understood multiplex techniques combined with modern photopolymer recording materials and adaptation of well-known film transport techniques. HoloMem addresses the global need for a cost-effective, sustainable and high-density storage solution in the near-term.