Image oversampling for page-oriented optical data storage

Page-oriented data storage systems incorporate optical detector arrays [such as complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) arrays] in order to read data images. For laboratory demonstrations the detector array is typically pixel matched to the data image [Opt. Lett. 22, 1509 (1997)]. This approach requires exceedingly high-performance optics and mechanics for the simultaneous alignment of each data-bearing pixel image to a detector element to be achieved. Systems intended for commercialization are designed with detector arrays that spatially sample the image at or above the Nyquist rate in order to read poorly aligned and distorted images [S. Redfield, Holographic Data Storage (Springer-Verlag, 2000), pp. 347-349]. However, for data page sizes exceeding a megapixel this approach becomes prohibitive in terms of detector bandwidth, size, power, cost, and processing requirements. We have instead developed a sub-Nyquist oversampling methodology that can recover arbitrarily aligned and distorted megapixel data page images with pixel-matched fidelity by using fewer than double the number of detector pixels. Features required for practicable implementation are described, including fiducials for alignment determination.