title: Three-dimensional optical memory using a human fingernail.
abstract: We realized optical data storage in a human fingernail. A structural change is recorded by irradiating a focused femtosecond laser pulse and is read out with fluorescent observation by making use of an increased fluorescence intensity. The shape of the structural changes drastically depends on the irradiated pulse energy. The fluorescence spectrum of the structure coincided with the auto-fluorescence spectra of a fingernail and a heated fingernail. It is suggested that the increased fluorescence is most likely caused by a local denaturation of the keratin protein by the femtosecond laser pulse irradiation. We demonstrate that the increased fluorescence effect is useful for reading out three-dimensionally recorded data.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takita
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayasaki
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Misawa