Data carrier, reading method and system using super-resolution technology

Abstract

A data carrier capable of storing information for a long period of time, capable of increasing the capacity of stored information, and a method and system for reading out the information are provided. [Solution] The information is combined by acquiring and processing an image of the layer of photoluminescent material through the surface layer of the data carrier having information-encoded recesses in a system including a structured illumination microscope (SIM) or saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) device. The photoluminescent material layer is provided on the sample support of the device or on one or both sides of the data carrier. The information-encoded recesses are formed in a coating layer coated on the ceramic substrate of the data carrier, in a photoluminescent material layer provided on the substrate, or in a coating layer coated on the photoluminescent material layer.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for reading information from a data carrier and to a data carrier using the concept of structured illumination microscopy (SIM) or saturated structured illumination microscopy (SSIM). [Background technology]

[0002] It is estimated that the average human being generates approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes per day. While the majority of this data is likely generated for short-term use, the demand for long-term data storage is growing every day. It is clear that current data carriers, such as flash memory, hard disk drives (HDDs), and magnetic tape, are far from ideal for long-term storage. As a result, companies such as Microsoft are currently exploring alternative long-term storage technologies (see, for example, the so-called "Project Silica" and U.S. Patent No. 5,929,492).

[0003] Patent Document 2 describes a different technology used for long-term information storage. This technology uses a ceramic substrate coated with a layer of a different material and encodes information onto the coated substrate by processing localized areas of the coated substrate, for example with a laser. This technology has been found to enable the encoded, writable ceramic plate to store information with high durability against moisture, electromagnetic fields, acidic or corrosive substances, etc., providing a level of durability not available with other commonly used information storage media. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 10,719,239 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2021 / 028035 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Mats GL Gustafsson, Nonlinear structured-illumination microscopy: Wide-field fluorescence imaging with theoretically unlimited resolution, PNAS, September 13, 2005, Vol. 102, No. 37, pages 13081-13086 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Experiments have demonstrated that particularly small structures (e.g. in the form of two-dimensional bar codes) can be formed on such ceramic-based data carriers, however, difficulties may be encountered when attempting to optically resolve such small structures when decoding the encoded information again due to the well-known diffraction limit.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved data carrier for long-term data storage, with increased data storage capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The above objectives are achieved by utilizing SIM or SSIM, a technology introduced several years ago (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 1). SIM or SSIM has been demonstrated to provide optical resolution far beyond the diffraction limit, primarily in microscopy applications in biology and pharmacy. SSIM is based on two principles: the principle of structured illumination microscopy, which allows the identification of structures below the classical resolution limit by analyzing the Moiré fringes generated by applying illumination of a predetermined spatial frequency, and the principle of the nonlinear dependence of illumination intensity versus emission rate due to saturation. However, SSIM requires a photoluminescent material, preferably a fluorescent material. The present invention proposes various methods for implementing such photoluminescent or fluorescent materials.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material is introduced only during the process of reading information from the data carrier, which may essentially be identical to the data carrier described in WO 2007 / 024990, which is incorporated by reference in particular for its disclosure of the configuration of the data carrier (or information storage medium), suitable materials for the data carrier and methods for manufacturing the data carrier.

[0010] According to this first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for reading information from a data carrier. The method comprises the steps of providing a structured illumination microscope (SIM) or saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) apparatus having a sample support containing a layer of photoluminescent material, preferably a fluorescent material, for carrying and / or attaching a sample during use of the microscope. The method further comprises the steps of providing a data carrier comprising a transparent ceramic substrate (alternatively, a glass-ceramic substrate or a glass substrate) and a coating layer disposed on the transparent ceramic substrate, the coating layer being made of a material different from that of the ceramic substrate and having a plurality of recesses encoding information. The information may be encoded in analog form (e.g., using letters, symbols, photographs, pictures or other graphics) or digital form (e.g., using a two-dimensional barcode or a more complex matrix code such as those described in PCT / EP2021 / 053894, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety). The method further comprises the steps of: placing the data carrier on the layer of photoluminescent (or fluorescent) material on the sample support; acquiring a SIM or SSIM image from the layer of photoluminescent (or fluorescent) material on the sample support via the data carrier; and processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier. The acquisition and processing of the SIM or SSIM image are performed as described in the above-mentioned article by Gustafsson (Non-Patent Document 1).

[0011] Essentially, the present invention utilizes the optical transparency of the ceramic substrate and the optical reflectivity and / or light absorption of the non-depressed portions of the coating layer to generate a photoluminescence or fluorescence response only in the recessed portions of the data carrier. In these portions, illumination from a SIM or SSIM device passes through the data carrier and excites the photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the sample support. The photoluminescent or fluorescent material then emits response light, which then passes through the transparent ceramic substrate and reaches the SIM or SSIM device sensor. In other words, each recess behaves as if it were a mass of photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the same shape and size.

[0012] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ceramic substrate must be transparent to both the excitation and emission wavelengths of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material. Thus, the ceramic substrate preferably transmits at least 10%, preferably at least 30%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 70%, and most preferably at least 90% of the incident electromagnetic power at the excitation and emission wavelengths. The excitation and emission wavelengths can range from the UV spectrum (100 nm to 400 nm) through the visible light spectrum (400 nm to 780 nm) to the near-infrared spectrum (780 nm to 5000 nm).

[0013] Similarly, it is desirable that the material of the coating layer has sufficient light absorption or light reflection properties for at least one of the excitation wavelength and emission wavelength of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material. Preferably, the coating layer absorbs and / or reflects 10% or more, preferably 30% or more, more preferably 50% or more, even more preferably 70% or more, and most preferably 90% or more of the incident electromagnetic power at the excitation wavelength and the emission wavelength. The excitation wavelength and the emission wavelength may be within the range from the UV spectrum (100 nm to 400 nm) through the visible light spectrum (400 nm to 780 nm) to the near-infrared spectrum (780 nm to 5000 nm).

[0014] Different techniques may be used to measure and / or calculate the optical transmittance, absorption and reflection of each layer of the data carrier, for example, the optical transmittance, absorption and reflection at specific wavelengths may be measured separately for the entire data carrier and for the substrate alone, and the corresponding optical properties of the coating layers may be calculated.

[0015] When the data carrier is placed on the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the sample support, it is preferably positioned so that the coating layer faces the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the support. This improves the optical contrast, since the boundaries or walls of the recesses in the coating layer are directly adjacent to the optically active material. However, the data carrier may also be placed upside down on the sample support. In this case, however, it is preferable to make the thickness of the transparent ceramic substrate as thin as possible.

[0016] It is also preferable that the surface of the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on the sample support are substantially flat, and it is desirable that the gap between the surface of the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on the sample support is 10 nm or less, preferably 5 nm or less, and more preferably 2 nm or less.

[0017] Preferably, each recess in the coating layer has a depth substantially equal to the thickness of the coating layer. This allows substantially all of the light-absorbing and / or light-reflecting material in the coating layer to be removed in each recess, allowing light to pass through the transparent ceramic substrate without any obstruction, while avoiding mechanical effects on the transparent ceramic substrate, such as by ablation. Alternatively, each recess in the coating layer may have a depth greater than the thickness of the coating layer. This ensures that all of the material in the coating layer is actually completely removed in each recess, while simplifying the ablation process in terms of the required processing accuracy. However, the depth of each recess into the ceramic substrate is preferably 1% or less of the substrate thickness, more preferably 0.1% or less, and even more preferably 0.01%.

[0018] Preferably, the coating layer has a thickness of 100 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or less, and most preferably 10 nm or less.

[0019] Preferably, the thickness of the ceramic substrate is 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less, more preferably 200 μm or less, more preferably 100 μm or less, and even more preferably 50 μm or less.

[0020] Preferably, the maximum dimension of the cross section of each recess perpendicular to the depth of the recess is 250 nm or less, more preferably 100 nm or less, even more preferably 50 nm or less, still more preferably 30 nm or less, and most preferably 20 nm or less. Basically, the shape of each recess may be any shape, but it is particularly preferable to provide a recess having a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular cross section.

[0021] The SIM or SSIM device used in the method of the present invention may be a standard SIM or SSIM device equipped with a support, in particular with a layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, or may be upgraded in accordance with the method of the present invention by placing or attaching a layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material onto the standard sample support of the standard SIM or SSIM device.

[0022] Basically, various photoluminescent or fluorescent materials can be used in the embodiments of the present invention. Naturally, the excitation and emission wavelengths of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material must be adapted to the light source of the SIM or SSIM device. Preferably, the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material is a photoluminescent or fluorescent crystal, and in particular in the form of a photoluminescent or fluorescent single crystal, since single crystals have advantageous optical properties. Examples of materials that are particularly preferred as the parent phase crystal include: (Ba,Sr)2SiO4, Ba2LiSi7AlN 12 , Ba2Si5N8, BaAl8O 13 , BaAl 12 O 19 , BaF2, BaMgAl 10 O 17 , BaSi2O5, BaSi7N 10 , Ca2Si5N8, Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl), CaAlSiN3, (Ca,Mg)SiO3, (Ca,Sr)AlSiN3, (Ca,Sr)2SiO4, CaS, CaSc2O4, CaZnGe2O6, CdSe, Cd2B2O5, CeMgAl 11 O 19 , Ga2O3, Gd2O2S, Gd3Ga5O 12 , Gd3Sc2Al3O 12 , GdAlO3, GdMgB5O 10 , K2SiF6, KY3F 10 , La3Si6N 11 , LaB3O6, LaBO3, LaMgAl 11 O 19, LaPO4, LiAlO2, LiEuMo2O8, LiYF4, Lu3Al5O 12 , MgS, MgWO4, NaYF4, Sr2Al6O 11 , Sr2MgSi2O7, Sr2P2O7, Sr2Si5N8, Sr3Gd2Si6O 18 , SrAl 14 O 25 , Sr5(PO4)3Cl, SrAl 12 O 19 , SrB4O7, SrGa2O4, SrLiAl3N4, SrMgSi3N4, SrS, Tb3Al5O 12 , Y2O3, (Y,Gd)2O3, Y2O2S, Y3Al5O 12 , (Y,Gd)3Al5O 12 , Y3(Al,Ga)5O 12 , (Y,Gd)BO3, YAlO3, YPO4, YVO4, Zn2SiO4, (Zn,Be)2SiO4, Zn2(Si,Ge)O4, ZnGa2O4 and ZnS. Examples of elements particularly preferred as dopants include rare earth metals such as Bi, Ce, Er, Eu, Dy, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Sc, Nd, Pr, Tb, Tm, Yb, and metals such as Co, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cu, Al, Au, Cr, and Ti. Ce, Eu, Cr, and Ti are particularly preferred elements. Particularly preferred fluorescent materials include Y3Al5O 12 :Ce 3+ , Lu2SiO5:Ce 3+ , Al2O3:Cr 3+ and Al2O3:Ti 3+ Examples include:

[0023] The latter material is particularly preferred since its optical properties are perfectly matched to the emission wavelengths of certain standard laser sources such as Yb:YAG, Nd:YAG, Ti:Sa, etc.

[0024] To improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the method of the present invention, it is preferred that a light-reflecting layer is present between the sample support and the layer of photoluminescent material. Preferably, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the light-reflecting layer has a 90° reflectance of at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, more preferably at least 95% for light of the first wavelength and / or the second wavelength.

[0025] Again, the SIM or SSIM device may be modified from a standard device by providing both a photoluminescent or fluorescent material and the light-reflecting layer, either by placing or attaching each layer to a standard sample support in a standard SSIM device, or by placing a stack of photoluminescent or fluorescent material and the light-reflecting layer on the sample support, and then placing the data carrier on the modified sample support.

[0026] According to a first aspect, the present invention also relates to a system for reading information from a data carrier in accordance with the above method, comprising a SIM or SSIM device including a sample support provided with a layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and a processor configured to process the SIM or SSIM image and decode the information encoded on the data carrier. As described above in connection with the method, the sample support may further comprise a light-reflecting layer on the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material.

[0027] As mentioned above, the first aspect of the present invention uses a transparent ceramic material, which may be in a glassy or crystalline state. Particularly preferred transparent ceramic materials include: sapphire (Al2O3), silica (SiO2), zirconium (Zr(SiO4)), ZrO2, or transparent ceramic materials containing silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boron oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, lithium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, or combinations thereof.

[0028] Basically, any material may be used for the coating layer as long as it has the above-mentioned optical properties. However, taking into consideration the long-term stability expected of the data carrier, it is particularly preferred that the coating layer is made of one or a combination of the following materials: Cr, Co, Ni, Fe, Al, Ti, Si, W, Zr, Ta, Th, Nb, Mn, Mg, Hf, Mo and V; metal nitrides such as CrN, CrAlN, TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, ZrN, AlN, VN, Si3N4, ThN, HfN, BN; TiC, Metal carbides such as CrC, Al4C3, VC, ZrC, HfC, ThC, B4C, and SiC; metal oxides such as Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, ZrO2, ThO2, MgO, Cr2O3, Zr2O3, and V2O3; metal borides such as TiB2, ZrB2, CrB2, VB2, SiB6, ThB2, HfB2, WB2, and WB4; metal silicides such as TiSi2, ZrSi2, MoSi2, MoSi, WSi2, PtSi, and Mg2Si.

[0029] As mentioned above, in the first aspect of the invention, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material is only used when decoding the encoded information, but of course, as a variant, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material may also be incorporated into the data carrier itself.

[0030] Thus, according to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a data carrier comprising a ceramic substrate having a first side and an opposite second side, and a first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on the first side of the ceramic substrate, the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material comprising a plurality of recesses encoding information, which, as mentioned above, may encode any information in any analogue and / or digital form.

[0031] Unlike the first aspect of the invention, the ceramic substrate of this second aspect does not have to be transparent. Therefore, various materials such as those listed in Patent Document 2 are suitable for the ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate is particularly preferably one containing oxide ceramics. Preferably, the ceramic substrate is made of Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, ZrO2, ThO 2, MgO, CrO 3、 The ceramic substrate contains 90% by weight or more, more preferably 95% by weight or more, of Zr2O3, V2O3, or any other oxide ceramic material, or a combination thereof. The ceramic substrate is also preferably made of a non-oxide ceramic. The ceramic substrate may be made of metal nitrides such as CrN, CrAlN, TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, ZrN, AlN, VN, Si3N4, ThN, HfN, or BN; metal carbides such as TiC, CrC, Al4C3, VC, ZrC, HfC, ThC, B4C, or SiC; TiB2, ZrB 2、 It is preferable that the ceramic ceramic material contains 90% by weight or more, more preferably 95% by weight or more, of a metal boride such as CrB2, VB2, SiB6, ThB2, HfB2, WB2, or WB4; a metal silicide such as TiSi2, ZrSi2, MoSi2, WSi2, PtSi, or Mg2Si; any other non-oxide ceramic material; or a combination thereof.

[0032] The photoluminescent or fluorescent material may be any photoluminescent or fluorescent material. In the context of the present invention, any material is considered to be a "photoluminescent material" or a "fluorescent material" if it has a photoluminescence quantum yield or fluorescence quantum yield of 10% or more. The photoluminescence quantum yield of a photoluminescent material is the ratio of the number of emitted photons to the number of absorbed photons. The fluorescence quantum yield of a fluorescent material is the ratio of the number of emitted photons to the number of absorbed photons. The photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer does not need to be made of only the same material and may contain additives for various reasons, but it is preferred that the photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer as a whole exhibits a quantum yield of 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, and more preferably 30% or more.

[0033] Preferably, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material is a photoluminescent or fluorescent crystal, and is preferably in the form of a photoluminescent or fluorescent single crystal, since single crystals are advantageous in terms of optical properties. Examples of particularly preferred materials for the parent phase crystal include (Ba,Sr)2SiO4 and Ba2LiSi7AlN. 12 , Ba2Si5N8, BaAl8O 13 , BaAl 12 O 19 , BaF2, BaMgAl 10 O 17 , BaSi2O5, BaSi7N 10 , Ca2Si5N8, Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl), CaAlSiN3, (Ca,Mg)SiO3, (Ca,Sr)AlSiN3, (Ca,Sr)2SiO4, CaS, CaSc2O4, CaZnGe2O6, CdSe, Cd2B2O5, CeMgAl 11 O 19 , Ga2O3, Gd2O2S, Gd3Ga5O 12 , Gd3Sc2Al3O 12 , GdAlO3, GdMgB5O 10 , K2SiF6, KY3F 10 , La3Si6N 11, LaB3O6, LaBO3, LaMgAl 11 O 19 , LaPO4, LiAlO2, LiEuMo2O8, LiYF4, Lu3Al5O 12 , MgS, MgWO4, NaYF4, Sr2Al6O 11 , Sr2MgSi2O7, Sr2P2O7, Sr2Si5N8, Sr3Gd2Si6O 18 , SrAl 14 O 25 , Sr5(PO4)3Cl, SrAl 12 O 19 , SrB4O7, SrGa2O4, SrLiAl3N4, SrMgSi3N4, SrS, Tb3Al5O 12 , Y2O3, (Y,Gd)2O3, Y2O2S, Y3Al5O 12 , (Y,Gd)3Al5O 12 , Y3(Al,Ga)5O 12 , (Y,Gd)BO3, YAlO3, YPO4, YVO4, Zn2SiO4, (Zn,Be)2SiO4, Zn2(Si,Ge)O4, ZnGa2O4 and ZnS. Examples of elements particularly preferred as dopants include rare earth metals such as Bi, Ce, Er, Eu, Dy, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Sc, Nd, Pr, Tb, Tm, Yb, and metals such as Co, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cu, Al, Au, Cr, and Ti. Particularly preferred elements are Ce, Eu, Cr, and Ti. Particularly preferred fluorescent materials include Y3Al5O 12 :Ce 3+ , Lu2SiO5:Ce 3+ , Al2O3:Cr 3+ and Al2O3:Ti 3+ Examples include:

[0034] The latter material is particularly preferred since its optical properties are perfectly matched to the emission wavelengths of certain standard laser sources such as Yb:YAG, Nd:YAG, Ti:Sa, etc.

[0035] As will be explained in detail below, the method for reading information from this data carrier is essentially similar to the previous case, with the photoluminescence or fluorescence contrast resulting from the presence (with the first layer intact) or absence (with recesses) of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material. Because even a small amount of photoluminescent or fluorescent material remaining at the bottom of a recess can lead to significant noise, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material is preferably completely removed throughout substantially the entire cross-section of the recess, down to the bottom of the first layer. Therefore, the depth of each recess in the first layer is preferably substantially the same as or even greater than the thickness of the first layer. At the same time, the depth of each recess into the ceramic substrate is preferably 1 μm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, more preferably 50 nm or less, to avoid any adverse effects on the substrate that may be caused by the presence of the recess. As mentioned above in relation to the first aspect, it is preferred that each recess extend into the substrate by less than 1% of the thickness of the substrate, preferably less than 0.1%, more preferably less than 0.01%.

[0036] In order to increase the data storage capacity of the data carrier, it is preferred that the data carrier further comprises a second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material disposed on the second side of the ceramic substrate, the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material having a plurality of recesses encoding information.

[0037] A first light-reflecting layer may be provided between the ceramic substrate and the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and / or a second light-reflecting layer may be provided between the ceramic substrate and the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material. Preferably, the light-reflecting layer has light reflectivity for both the excitation wavelength and the emission wavelength of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material. Therefore, assuming that the photoluminescent or fluorescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer preferably have a 90° reflectivity for light of the first wavelength and / or the second wavelength of 80% or more, more preferably 90% or more, and even more preferably 95% or more.

[0038] The first and second light-reflecting layers may comprise a highly reflective metal such as Cu, Al, Au, Ag, Ni, Cr, Pt, and Ti.

[0039] In the data carrier according to the second aspect of the present invention, optical contrast is achieved by the presence (without recesses) or absence (with recesses) of photoluminescent or fluorescent material. In the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, optical contrast is achieved by the partial covering (without recesses) or exposure (with recesses) of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the sample support. The latter concept can also be applied to the data carrier itself. Thus, according to a third aspect, the present invention further relates to a data carrier comprising a ceramic substrate having a first surface on one side and a second surface on the other side; a first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; and a first coating layer provided on the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, wherein the material of the first coating layer is different from the photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and the first coating layer has a plurality of recesses encoding information.

[0040] Again, the recesses may encode any information in any analog and / or digital form. As with the second embodiment, the ceramic substrate of the third embodiment need not be transparent and may be made of any of the materials previously described. Similarly, the photoluminescent or fluorescent materials used in this third embodiment may be any of the materials previously described in connection with the second embodiment.

[0041] As in the first embodiment, the first coating of the data carrier of the third embodiment blocks light from reaching the underlying photoluminescent or fluorescent material, thereby providing optical contrast depending on whether the first coating layer is present (non-recessed) or absent (recessed), i.e., whether the photoluminescent material is hidden or exposed. Therefore, the first coating layer preferably exhibits light absorption and / or light reflection properties at at least one of the excitation wavelength and emission wavelength of the photoluminescent material. Preferably, the first coating layer absorbs and / or reflects at least 10%, preferably at least 30%, more preferably at least 50%, even more preferably at least 70%, and most preferably at least 90% of the incident electromagnetic power at the excitation wavelength and emission wavelength.

[0042] As mentioned above, various techniques can be used to measure and / or calculate the light absorption and light reflectance of each layer of the data carrier, for example by measuring the light transmission, absorption and light reflection at specific wavelengths of the entire data carrier, the substrate alone and the substrate coated with only a layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, the corresponding optical properties of the coating layer can be calculated.

[0043] Other than the above requirements, the materials described above as materials for the coating layer of the first embodiment can also be used for the first coating layer of this third embodiment.

[0044] As in the second aspect, both sides of the data carrier may be used for encoding data, i.e., the data carrier further comprises a second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on the second side of the ceramic substrate, and a second coating layer provided on the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, the second coating layer being made of a material different from the photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and the second coating layer having a plurality of recesses in which information is encoded.

[0045] Preferably, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer are substantially opaque to light of the first wavelength and / or the second wavelength. The excitation and emission wavelengths may range from the UV spectrum (100 nm to 400 nm) through the visible light spectrum (400 nm to 780 nm) to the near-infrared spectrum (780 nm to 5000 nm).

[0046] Preferably, the depth of each recess in the first and / or second coating layer is substantially the same as the thickness of the corresponding coating layer. This ensures that light can reach the photoluminescent or fluorescent material covered by the first and / or second coating layer during decoding. As mentioned above, perfectly adjusting the depth of each recess can be tedious. Therefore, it is preferable to make the depth of each recess in the first and / or second coating layer greater than the thickness of the corresponding coating layer, so that the recess extends slightly into the first and / or second photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer. However, to effectively utilize the entire thickness of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer and optimize contrast during decoding, the depth of each recess extending into the first and / or second photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 1% or less, and even more preferably 0.1% of the thickness of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material layer.

[0047] As mentioned above, it is desirable that the thickness of the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer be set to a thickness sufficient to render the layer opaque to both the excitation wavelength and the emission wavelength of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material. However, excluding this requirement, it is desirable that the thickness of the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer be as thin as possible. Therefore, the thickness of the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer is preferably 1 μm or less, more preferably 100 nm or less, even more preferably 30 nm or less, and most preferably 10 nm or less.

[0048] As described above in relation to the first aspect, the provision of a light-reflecting layer can improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the data carrier of this third aspect preferably further comprises a first light-reflecting layer between the ceramic substrate and the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and / or a second light-reflecting layer between the ceramic substrate and the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material. The photoluminescent or fluorescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer preferably have a 90° reflectivity of 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, and more preferably 95% or more for light of the first wavelength and / or second wavelength.

[0049] The thickness of the first and / or second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material is preferably sufficient to provide a sufficient optical response upon decoding. Other than this, it is preferable to make the thickness of these layers as thin as possible. Therefore, the thickness of the first and / or second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material is preferably 1 μm or less, more preferably 100 nm or less, and most preferably 10 nm or less.

[0050] Considering the long-term stability expected of the data carrier of the present invention, it is preferable that a sintered interface exists between the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer and the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, respectively, and that the sintered interface contains at least one element of the corresponding coating layer and at least one element of the corresponding photoluminescent material layer. Similarly, it is preferable that a sintered interface exists between the ceramic substrate and the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, and that the sintered interface contains at least one element of the ceramic substrate and at least one element of the corresponding layer. The advantages of tempering and the existence of a sintered interface are described in detail in Patent Document 2, and this document is incorporated by reference in its entirety, particularly with regard to these aspects.

[0051] Particularly preferred materials for the first and / or second layers of photoluminescent or fluorescent material of this third aspect may include those described above in relation to the second aspect.

[0052] Suitable materials for the ceramic substrate include various materials such as those listed in Patent Document 2. Ceramic substrates made of oxide ceramics are particularly preferred. Ceramic substrates are made of Al2O3, TiO2, SiO2, ZrO2, ThO 2, MgO, CrO 3、 It is preferable that the ceramic substrate contains 90% by weight or more, more preferably 95% by weight or more, of Zr2O3, V2O3, or any other oxide ceramic material, or a combination thereof. Also, ceramic substrates made of non-oxide ceramics are preferable. In this case, the ceramic substrate may be made of metal nitrides such as CrN, CrAlN, TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, ZrN, AlN, VN, Si3N4, ThN, HfN, or BN; metal carbides such as TiC, CrC, Al4C3, VC, ZrC, HfC, ThC, B4C, or SiC; TiB2, ZrB 2、The ceramic material preferably contains 90% by weight or more, and more preferably 95% by weight or more, of a metal boride such as CrB2, VB2, SiB6, ThB2, HfB2, WB2, or WB4; a metal silicide such as TiSi2, ZrSi2, MoSi2, WSi2, PtSi, or Mg2Si; any other non-oxide ceramic material; or a combination thereof.

[0053] However, as described in detail in European Patent Application No. 21156858.9, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, it is particularly preferred for ultra-thin data carriers that the ceramic substrate contains silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boron oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, lithium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide or a combination thereof.

[0054] Preferably, the thickness of the ceramic substrate is 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less, more preferably 200 μm or less, more preferably 100 μm or less, and even more preferably 50 μm or less.

[0055] As discussed in European Patent Application No. 21156858.9, the Young's modulus of the ceramic substrate is preferably 80 GPa or less, more preferably 75 GPa or less. Furthermore, the data carrier preferably does not break even at a curvature radius of 250 mm, preferably 200 mm, more preferably 150 mm, even more preferably 100 mm, and most preferably 50 mm. This material allows the data carrier to be wound into a roll.

[0056] The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a data carrier according to a second aspect. The method comprises the steps of providing a ceramic substrate, coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a first surface of the ceramic substrate, and forming a plurality of recesses in the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, for example, by laser ablation. Optionally, the ceramic substrate may be coated with a second layer of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a second surface of the ceramic substrate. In this case, a plurality of recesses are formed in the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, for example, by laser ablation.

[0057] The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a data carrier according to a third aspect. The method comprises the steps of: preparing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a first surface of the ceramic substrate; coating the first layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material with a first coating layer; and forming a plurality of recesses in the first coating layer, for example, by laser ablation. Optionally, the ceramic substrate and the second layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material may be coated with a second coating layer. In this case, a plurality of recesses are formed in the second coating layer, for example, by laser ablation.

[0058] The coating process for each layer may be carried out by any known film deposition method, preferably by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition.

[0059] As mentioned above, it is particularly preferred to bond the layers together via a sintered interface, which can be achieved by tempering the coated substrate at a temperature above 200°C, preferably above 500°C, more preferably above 1000°C.

[0060] As described above, the step of encoding information on the data carrier, i.e., forming a plurality of recesses in a layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material or any of the coating layers, can be performed, for example, by laser ablation. An example of a laser ablation method and an apparatus for performing the method is disclosed in detail in European Patent Application No. 20190446.3, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Generally, it is preferable that reading and writing, i.e., encoding data by laser ablation and decoding data using SIM or SSIM, can be performed in the same apparatus. This is typically achieved by performing the laser ablation at the excitation maximum wavelength of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material (obviously, the ablation process will be performed at a power density several orders of magnitude higher than the power density used for decoding). Therefore, it is preferable that the photoluminescent or fluorescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and that the laser ablation process be performed at or near the first wavelength. Preferably, the wavelength shift between the wavelength of the laser ablation process and said first wavelength is less than 30 nm, preferably less than 20 nm, more preferably less than 10 nm.

[0061] While the present invention primarily discusses ablation using a laser beam, the present invention also contemplates the use of other beams, such as particle beams, to ablate materials to form recesses. This is particularly preferable for recesses of a size substantially below the diffraction limit (e.g., circular recesses less than 50 nm in diameter). Recesses of this size are easily identified using SSIM, but can be difficult to reproducibly form using a laser.

[0062] The present invention further relates to a method of reading information from a data carrier according to the second or third aspect, the method comprising the steps of providing a SIM or SSIM apparatus including a sample support, placing a data carrier according to the second or third aspect on the sample support, obtaining a SIM or SSIM image from the layer of photoluminescent material of the data carrier, and processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier.

[0063] As described above, SIM, particularly SSIM, can image structures much smaller than the diffraction limit. Therefore, the maximum dimension of the cross section of each recess perpendicular to the depth of the recess is preferably less than 250 nm, more preferably less than 100 nm, more preferably less than 50 nm, even more preferably less than 30 nm, and most preferably less than 20 nm.

[0064] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be further described with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0065] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information reading system in a preferred embodiment; [Figure 2a] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the illumination and excitation schemes used in structured illumination (SIM) and saturated structured illumination (SSIM). [Figure 2b] FIG. 1 is another schematic illustration of the illumination and excitation schemes used in structured illumination (SIM) and saturated structured illumination (SSIM). [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a high-speed data recording and information reading device according to another preferred embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a high-speed data recording and information reading device according to another preferred embodiment. [Figure 5a] 1 is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of a data carrier relative to a sample support in one embodiment of the method of the present invention; [Figure 5b] 5 is a schematic arrangement of a data carrier relative to a sample support in another embodiment of the method of the present invention; [Figure 5c] 5 is a schematic arrangement of a data carrier relative to a sample support in yet another embodiment of the method of the present invention; [Figure 5d] 5 is a schematic arrangement of a data carrier relative to a sample support in yet another embodiment of the method of the present invention; [Figure 6a] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 6b] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 6c] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 6d] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 7a] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 7b] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 7c] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. [Figure 7d] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of a data carrier according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0066] 1 is a schematic diagram of an information readout system in a preferred embodiment. The system comprises a SIM or SSIM device having a sample support 11 with a layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material. The SIM or SSIM device comprises a readout device 12 configured to image the recorded data via focusing optics 9. In this embodiment, the readout device 12 includes a digital micromirror device (DMD) 15 for readout mode illumination. A high-resolution digital camera 18 is used for imaging. A beam splitter 17 is arranged between the DMD 15 and the focusing optics 9 to allow light emitted from the data carrier 10 to reach the high-resolution digital camera 18.

[0067] Illumination of the area to be imaged by the readout device 12 can be performed by a light source 16 for data recording (e.g. an LED, a laser source, etc.) or from a separate laser source via the DMD 5 in the recording path (see Figures 3 and 4). The SIM or SSIM device further comprises a processor (not shown) for decoding information encoded on the data carrier by processing the SIM or SSIM image.

[0068] As mentioned above and as described in detail in the aforementioned non-patent document by Gustafsson, SIM and SSIM techniques require structured illumination. To optically resolve structures on the data carrier 10 below the resolution limit, the data carrier 10 is illuminated with a predetermined light pattern, e.g., a stripe pattern as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2b. FIG. 2b shows an example of a linear excitation pattern used in structured illumination (SIM) and an example of a nonlinear saturated excitation pattern used in saturated structured illumination (SSIM) (taken from http: / / zeiss-campus.magnet.fsu.edu / articles / superresolution / supersim.html). To subsequently resolve the acquired image, multiple images must be taken while rotating the illumination pattern (see FIG. 2a). The illumination patterns at different rotational states are generated by a DMD controlled by a processor in the SIM or SSIM device. The SIM or SSIM images captured by the high-resolution digital camera 18 are processed by a processor to generate a high-resolution image of the data carrier 10 and decode the information encoded on the data carrier 10.

[0069] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing an apparatus configured for both high speed data recording and information retrieval in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is substantially identical to Figure 1 of PCT / EP2020 / 072872 (incorporated by reference in its entirety), which depicts an apparatus for high speed data recording.

[0070] The apparatus comprises a laser source 1, a motorized attenuator 3a, a beam expander 2, an attenuating rotator 3b, a flat-top beam shaper (preferably a shaper including collimating optics) 14, a galvanometer scanner 4, a digital micromirror device 5 configured to emit multiple laser beams (for simplicity, only one beam is shown), a substrate holder or sample support 11 for mounting a substrate or data carrier 10, and focusing optics 9 configured to focus each of the multiple laser beams emitted from the DMD 5 onto a substrate 10 mounted on the substrate holder or sample support 11 (preferably comprising a layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material).

[0071] The galvanometer scanner 4 is configured to temporarily allocate the laser power of the laser source 1 to the DMD 5. As described in detail in PCT / EP2020 / 072872, the galvanometer scanner 4 is configured to simultaneously illuminate only a portion of the micromirror array of the DMD 5. Because the angle of the laser beam emitted from the galvanometer scanner 4 varies depending on which position or portion of the DMD 5 is targeted by the galvanometer scanner 4, the present device preferably includes collimating optical systems L1 and L2 that align the laser light emitted from the galvanometer scanner 4 to a predetermined angle of incidence with respect to the DMD 5. To properly illuminate the galvanometer scanner 4 with the laser light source, a motorized attenuator 3a, a beam expander 2, an attenuation rotator 3b, and a flat-top beam shaper (preferably a shaper including a collimating optical system) 14 may be provided.

[0072] The DMD 5 comprises a plurality of micromirrors (not shown) arranged in an array, and is configured to emit a plurality of laser beams (not shown) along a first direction (i.e., the recording direction), or to emit a plurality of laser beams (not shown) along a second direction and deflect them to a beam dump 6 by turning each micromirror "off." When each micromirror is "on," the laser beam is irradiated via a beam splitter 8 through focusing optics 9 (which may be, for example, a standard microscope optical system with a high numerical aperture) onto a substrate 10 (i.e., the data carrier of the present invention before recesses are formed) attached to an XY positioning system (which may also be movable along the Z direction, if desired), and recesses are formed at predetermined positions.

[0073] The apparatus may further comprise beam shaping optics 7, such as a matrix of laser zone plates or a spatial light modulator, which may be configured to enable optical proximity control, to form Bessel beams, or to form phase shift masks.

[0074] The apparatus shown in Figure 3 further comprises a read-out device 12 similar to the read-out device 12 shown in Figure 1 and described in detail above. Together with the focusing optics 9 and preferably the sample support 11 provided with a layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, the read-out device 12 constitutes the above-mentioned SIM or SSIM device, whereby a SIM or SSIM image of a data carrier 10 placed on the sample support 11 can be acquired and the SIM or SSIM image can be processed to decode information encoded on the data carrier 10.

[0075] However, these components (15, 16) present in the readout device 12 of Figure 1 are not necessarily required in the readout device 12 of Figure 3, since the recording path of the device shown in Figure 3 already includes the laser source 1 and DMD 5. Rather, the laser source 1 and DMD 5 may also be utilized in imaging mode.

[0076] As mentioned above, in the present invention, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material may be applied only during readout. To this end, the sample support 11 shown in Figures 1 and 3 preferably comprises a layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, which may be incorporated into the sample support 11, for example, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Alternatively, the sample support may be upgraded by placing or attaching an additional layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on top of a standard sample support.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 5A, to read information from a data carrier 20 comprising a transparent ceramic substrate 21 and a coating layer 22 provided on the transparent ceramic substrate 21, the coating layer 22 having a plurality of recesses 23 into which information is encoded, the data carrier 20 must be placed on a layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material on a sample support 11, as shown schematically in FIG. 5A. When irradiated from above the data carrier 20 (see FIG. 1), light is absorbed or reflected in areas of the coating layer 22 where no recesses 23 exist. In contrast, at the recesses 23, light is irradiated directly onto the transparent ceramic substrate 21, passes through the substrate 21, and induces photoluminescence or fluorescence in the photoluminescent or fluorescent layer 11a occupying the space below the recesses 23 (assuming that the irradiated light overlaps with the excitation wavelength range of the photoluminescent or fluorescent material). As an optical response, light of different wavelengths is emitted from the space occupied by the photoluminescent or fluorescent layer 11, passes through the transparent ceramic substrate 21 and passes through the corresponding recesses 23 again, and can be detected by the readout device 12.

[0078] In this way, by acquiring a number of SIM or SSIM images from the layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material via the data carrier 20 and processing these SIM or SSIM images for image reconstruction, for example as described in the aforementioned non-patent document 1 by Gustafsson, an image of the pattern of recesses 23 in the coating layer 22 can be generated.

[0079] Obviously, the above-described method of reading information from such a data carrier also works if the data carrier is turned upside down, i.e., if the data carrier 20 is placed on the layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material of the sample support 11 with the coating layer 22 facing the layer 11a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material, as shown in Figure 5b. In this arrangement, the thickness of the transparent ceramic substrate does not have to be limited, and therefore the transparent ceramic substrate 21 is depicted in Figure 5b as being slightly thicker than in Figure 5a. On the other hand, in the arrangement of Figure 5a, it is preferable to make the thickness of the transparent ceramic substrate as thin as possible in order to minimize artifacts, e.g., due to diffraction.

[0080] As mentioned above, the signal-to-noise ratio of the method of the present invention may be further improved by employing a light-reflecting layer 11b between the sample support 11 and the layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material 11a. Schematic diagrams of the addition of such a light-reflecting layer 11b to the arrangements shown in Figures 5a and 5b, respectively, are shown in Figures 5c and 5d.

[0081] Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which the laser light is transmitted through a beam shaping element 7. However, if the beam shaping element consists of, for example, a reflective mode spatial light modulator, the light path may be changed as shown in Figure 4. Again, the readout device 12 may be a sensor with its own DMD (see reference numeral 15 in Figure 1), or may be a simple sensor without its own DMD but using the DMD 5 in the recording path.

[0082] While SSIM is clearly the most preferable method over SIM because it allows for much higher resolution than SIM, it should be noted that combining SIM technology with photoluminescent or fluorescent materials also offers certain advantages. For example, in FIG. 3, if the wavelength of the illumination on the data carrier is the same as the wavelength of the readout beam, some artifacts, such as scattered light, can reduce the signal-to-noise ratio. By using photoluminescent or fluorescent materials, the wavelength of the response light imaged by the digital camera differs from the wavelength of the illumination light. Therefore, by using a simple filter or beam splitter, it is possible to ensure that all light entering the digital camera originates from the photoluminescent or fluorescent material below the recess, i.e., corresponds to the true signal. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the use of SSIM and encompasses SIM-based embodiments.

[0083] As described above in relation to the second and third aspects of the present invention, in a variant, the photoluminescent or fluorescent material may be directly incorporated into the data carrier. Figures 6a to 6d are schematic cross-sectional views showing various embodiments of a data carrier according to the second aspect of the present invention. In the most basic form shown in Figure 6a, a data carrier 30 comprises a ceramic substrate 31 and a first layer 32a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a first surface (in this example, the upper surface) of the ceramic substrate 31, and the first layer 32a of photoluminescent or fluorescent material may have a plurality of recesses 33 in which information is encoded.

[0084] As shown in Figure 6b, the data carrier 30 may further comprise a second layer 32b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a second surface (in this example, the bottom surface) of the ceramic substrate 31, and the second layer 32b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material may have a plurality of recesses 33 in which information is encoded.

[0085] In addition, a first light-reflecting layer 34a may be present between the ceramic substrate 31 and the first layer 32a made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material (see Figure 6c), and a second light-reflecting layer 34b may be present between the ceramic substrate 31 and the second layer 32b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material (see Figure 6d).

[0086] 7a to 7d are schematic cross-sectional views showing various embodiments of a data carrier according to the third aspect of the present invention. The data carrier 40 includes a ceramic substrate 41, a first layer 42a made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on a first surface (the upper side in this example) of the ceramic substrate 41, and a first coating layer 43a provided on the first layer 42a made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material, the first coating layer 43a having a plurality of recesses 44 in which information is encoded (see FIG. 7a).

[0087] The data carrier 40 may further include a second layer 42b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material provided on the second surface (the bottom surface in this example) of the ceramic substrate 41, and a second coating layer 43b provided on the second layer 42b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material, where the second coating layer 43b has a plurality of recesses 44 in which information is encoded (see FIG. 7b). Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 7c and 7d, a first light-reflecting layer 45a and a second light-reflecting layer 45b may be present between the ceramic substrate 41 and the first layer 42a and the second layer 42b made of a photoluminescent or fluorescent material, respectively.

[0088] As mentioned above, Figure 6 a to Figure 6d The data carrier shown in Figure 7 a to Figure 7d In the data carrier shown in Figure 6, the information can be read out in both cases using a standard SIM or SSIM device in which no photoluminescent or fluorescent layer is embedded in the sample support. a to Figure 6d and Figure 7 a to Figure 6dIn the case of any of the data carriers shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, high speed data recording and information readout can be achieved by the systems shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 (without a photoluminescent or fluorescent layer embedded in the sample support). The present invention includes the following embodiments. [Aspect 1] 1. A method for reading information from a data carrier, comprising: Providing a saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) or structured illumination microscope (SIM) apparatus with a sample support having a photoluminescent material layer; providing a data carrier including a transparent ceramic substrate and a coating layer disposed on the ceramic substrate, the coating layer being made of a material different from the ceramic substrate and having a plurality of recesses in which information is encoded; placing the data carrier on the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support; acquiring a SIM or SSIM image from the layer photoluminescent material of the sample support via the data carrier; processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A method comprising: [Aspect 2] 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data carrier is positioned on the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support with the coating layer facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support. Aspect 3 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface of the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support are substantially flat, and the maximum value of the gap between the surface of the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support is 10 nm or less, preferably 5 nm or less, and more preferably 2 nm or less. Aspect 4 4. The method of any one of the first to third aspects, wherein a depth of each recess in the coating layer is substantially the same as a thickness of the coating layer. Aspect 5 4. The method of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein a depth of each recess in the coating layer is greater than a thickness of the coating layer. Aspect 6 6. The method of any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the coating layer has a thickness of 100 nm or less, preferably 30 nm or less, and more preferably 10 nm or less. Aspect 7 A method according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein the ceramic substrate has a thickness of 200 μm or less, preferably 100 μm or less, and more preferably 50 μm or less. Aspect 8 A method according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein the maximum dimension of a cross section of each recess, perpendicular to the depth of the recess, is 250 nm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, preferably 50 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or less, and even more preferably 20 nm or less. Aspect 9 10. The method of any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the step of providing a SSIM or SIM device with a sample support having a layer of photoluminescent material comprises: Providing a standard SIM or SSIM device with a sample support; and mounting the photoluminescent material layer on the sample support. Aspect 10 The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the layer of photoluminescent material is a photoluminescent crystal, preferably a photoluminescent single crystal. Aspect 11 11. The method of any one of the preceding aspects, wherein a light-reflecting layer is present between the sample support and the photoluminescent material layer. Aspect 12 In a method according to aspect 11, the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the light-reflecting layer has a 90° reflectance for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength of 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, and more preferably 95% or more. Aspect 13 A system for reading information from a data carrier according to the method of any one of aspects 1 to 12, comprising: a SIM or SSIM device comprising a sample support having a layer of photoluminescent material; a processor configured to process the SIM or SSIM image and decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A system comprising: Aspect 14 a ceramic substrate having a first surface on one side and a second surface on the other side; a first layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; wherein the first layer of photoluminescent material has a plurality of recesses encoding information. Aspect 15 The data carrier according to aspect 14, further comprising: A data carrier comprising a second layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate, the second layer of photoluminescent material having a plurality of recesses encoding information. Aspect 16 16. A data carrier according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the depth of each recess in the first layer and / or the second layer is substantially the same as the thickness of the corresponding layer. Aspect 17 16. A data carrier according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the depth of each recess in the first layer and / or the second layer exceeds the thickness of the corresponding layer. Aspect 18 A data carrier according to aspect 17, wherein the depth of each recess into the substrate is 1 μm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, and more preferably 50 nm or less. Aspect 19 19. The data carrier of any one of aspects 14 to 18, wherein a first light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the first photoluminescent material layer, and / or a second light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the second photoluminescent material layer. Aspect 20 In the data carrier described in aspect 19, the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer have a 90° reflectivity for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength of 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, and more preferably 95% or more. Aspect 21 a ceramic substrate having a first surface on one side and a second surface on the other side; a first photoluminescent material layer disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; a first coating layer disposed on the first photoluminescent material layer; Equipped with A data carrier, wherein the material of said first coating layer is different from said photoluminescent material, and said first coating layer has a plurality of recesses encoding information. Aspect 22 22. The data carrier according to claim 21, further comprising: a second layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate; a second coating layer disposed on the second layer of photoluminescent material; and wherein the material of the second coating layer is different from the excitable luminescent material, and the second coating layer has a plurality of recesses encoding information. Aspect 23 A data carrier according to aspect 21 or 22, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer are substantially opaque to light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength. Aspect 24 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 23, wherein the depth of each recess in the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer is substantially the same as the thickness of the corresponding coating layer. Aspect 25 24. A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 23, wherein the depth of each recess in the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer exceeds the thickness of the corresponding coating layer. Aspect 26 In the data carrier described in aspect 25, the depth of each recess into the first layer and / or the second layer made of photoluminescent material is 1 μm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, and more preferably 50 nm or less. Aspect 27 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 26, wherein the thickness of the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer is 1 μm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or less, and even more preferably 10 nm or less. Aspect 28 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 27, wherein a first light-reflecting layer is interposed between the ceramic substrate and the first layer of the excitable luminescent material, and / or a second light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the second layer of the photoluminescent material. Aspect 29 In the data carrier described in aspect 28, the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer have a 90° reflectivity for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength of 80% or more, preferably 90% or more, and more preferably 95% or more. Aspect 30 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 29, wherein the thickness of the first layer and / or the second layer made of a photoluminescent material is 1 μm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, and more preferably 10 nm or less. Aspect 31 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 30, wherein a sintered interface exists between the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer and the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent material, respectively, and preferably the sintered interface contains at least one element of the corresponding coating layer and at least one element of the corresponding layer of photoluminescent material. Aspect 32 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 31, wherein a sintered interface exists between the ceramic substrate and the first layer and / or second layer of photoluminescent material, and preferably the sintered interface contains at least one element of the ceramic substrate and at least one element of the corresponding layer. Aspect 33 33. The data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 32, wherein the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent material comprises Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ;Ce 3+ , Lu 2 SiO 5 ;Ce 3+ 、Al 2 O 3 :Ce 3+ 、Al 2 O 3 :Ti 3+ or a combination thereof. Aspect 34 34. The data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 33, wherein the ceramic substrate contains silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boron oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, lithium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, or a combination thereof. Aspect 35 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 34, wherein the ceramic substrate has a thickness of 2 mm or less, more preferably 1 mm or less, more preferably 200 μm or less, preferably 100 μm or less, more preferably 50 μm or less. Aspect 36 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 35, wherein the substrate has a Young's modulus of 80 GPa or less, preferably 75 GPa or less. Aspect 37 A data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 36, wherein the data carrier does not break even when the radius of curvature is 250 mm, preferably 200 mm, more preferably 150 mm. Aspect 38 38. The data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 37, wherein the data carrier is wound in a roll. Aspect 39 A method for manufacturing a data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 38, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; Optionally, coating the ceramic substrate with a second layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate; forming a plurality of recesses in the first layer of photoluminescent material and optionally in the second layer by laser ablation; A manufacturing method comprising: Aspect 40 A method for manufacturing a data carrier according to any one of aspects 21 to 38, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; covering the first layer of photoluminescent material with a first coating layer; Optionally, coating the ceramic substrate with a second layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate and coating the second layer of photoluminescent material with a second coating layer; forming a plurality of recesses in the first coating layer and, optionally, in the second coating layer by laser ablation; A manufacturing method comprising: Aspect 41 41. The method of any one of embodiments 39 to 40, wherein the coating step is performed by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition. Aspect 42 The method of any one of aspects 39 to 41, further comprising: tempering the coated substrate at a temperature of at least 200°C, preferably at least 500°C, more preferably at least 1000°C; A manufacturing method comprising: Aspect 43 A manufacturing method described in any one of aspects 39 to 42, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the laser ablation process is performed at the first wavelength. Aspect 44 1. A method for reading information from a data carrier, comprising: Providing a saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) or structured illumination microscope (SIM) apparatus including a sample support; placing a data carrier according to any one of aspects 14 to 38 on the sample support; acquiring a SIM or SSIM image from the layer of photoluminescent material of the data carrier; processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A method comprising: Aspect 45 A method according to embodiment 44, wherein the maximum dimension of a cross section of each recess perpendicular to the depth of the recess is 250 nm or less, preferably 100 nm or less, preferably 50 nm or less, more preferably 30 nm or less, and even more preferably 20 nm or less. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1. Laser light source 2 Beam Expander 3a Electric Attenuator 3b Damping rotor 3b 4 Galvanometer Scanner 5, 15 Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) 6 Beam dump 7 Beam shaping optics 8, 17 Beam splitter 9 Focusing optical system 10, 20 Data Carrier 11 Sample support 11a Layer of photoluminescent or fluorescent material 12 Reading device 14 Flat Top Beam Shaper 18. High-resolution digital camera 21, 31, 41 Ceramic substrate 22 Coating layer 23, 33, 44 recesses 32a, 42a: First layer made of photoluminescent or fluorescent material 32b, 42b: second layer made of photoluminescent or fluorescent material 45a 1st light reflective layer 45b 2nd light reflective layer

Claims

1. 1. A method for reading information from a data carrier, comprising: providing a saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) or structured illumination microscope (SIM) apparatus with a sample support having a photoluminescent material layer made of a photoluminescent material; providing a data carrier comprising a transparent ceramic substrate and a coating layer disposed on the ceramic substrate, the coating layer being made of a material different from the ceramic substrate and having a plurality of recesses in which information is encoded; placing the data carrier on the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support; acquiring a SIM or SSIM image from the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support via the data carrier; processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A method comprising:

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data carrier is positioned on the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support with the coating layer facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support.

3. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the surface of the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support are flat, and the maximum value of the gap between the surface of the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support and the surface of the data carrier facing the photoluminescent material layer of the sample support is 10 nm or less.

4. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depth of each recess in the coating layer is the same as the thickness of the coating layer.

5. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the depth of each recess in the coating layer is greater than the thickness of the coating layer.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the coating layer has a thickness of 100 nm or less.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the ceramic substrate has a thickness of 200 µm or less.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the maximum dimension of a cross section of each recess perpendicular to the depth of the recess is 100 nm or less.

9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing an SSIM or SIM device with a sample support having a layer of photoluminescent material comprises: Providing a SIM or SSIM device with a sample support; and mounting the photoluminescent material layer on the sample support.

10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the layer of photoluminescent material comprises a photoluminescent crystal.

11. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein a light-reflecting layer is present between the sample support and the layer of photoluminescent material.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the photoluminescent material of the photoluminescent material layer has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the light-reflecting layer has a 90° reflectivity of 80% or more for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength.

13. A system for reading information from a data carrier with the method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising: a SIM or SSIM device comprising a sample support having a layer of photoluminescent material; a processor configured to process the SIM or SSIM image and decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A system comprising:

14. a ceramic substrate having a first surface on one side and a second surface on the other side; a first layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; wherein the first layer of photoluminescent material has a plurality of recesses encoding information.

15. 15. The data carrier according to claim 14, further comprising: a second layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate, the second layer of photoluminescent material having a plurality of recesses encoding information.

16. 16. The data carrier according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the depth of each recess in the first layer and / or the second layer is the same as the layer thickness of the corresponding layer.

17. 16. The data carrier according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the depth of each recess in the first layer and / or the second layer exceeds the layer thickness of the corresponding layer.

18. 18. A data carrier according to claim 17, wherein each recess extends into the substrate to a depth of 1 [mu]m or less.

19. 19. A data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein a first light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the first layer of photoluminescent material, and / or a second light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the second layer of photoluminescent material.

20. 20. The data carrier of claim 19, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer have a 90° reflectivity of 80% or more for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength.

21. a ceramic substrate having a first surface on one side and a second surface on the other side; a first layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; a first coating layer disposed on the first layer of photoluminescent material; Equipped with A data carrier, wherein the material of said first coating layer is different from said photoluminescent material, and said first coating layer has a plurality of recesses encoding information.

22. 22. The data carrier according to claim 21, further comprising: a second layer of a photoluminescent material disposed on the second surface of the ceramic substrate; a second coating layer disposed on the second layer of photoluminescent material; and wherein the material of the second coating layer is different from the photoluminescent material, and the second coating layer has a plurality of recesses encoding information.

23. 23. A data carrier according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer are opaque to light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength.

24. 24. The data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the depth of each recess in the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer is the same as the layer thickness of the corresponding coating layer.

25. 24. The data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the depth of each recess in the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer exceeds the layer thickness of the corresponding coating layer.

26. 26. A data carrier according to claim 25, wherein each recess extends into the first and / or second layer of photoluminescent material to a depth of 1 [mu]m or less.

27. 27. The data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 26, wherein the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer has a layer thickness of 100 nm or less.

28. 28. A data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 27, wherein a first light-reflecting layer is interposed between the ceramic substrate and the first layer of photoluminescent material, and / or a second light-reflecting layer is present between the ceramic substrate and the second layer of photoluminescent material.

29. 29. A data carrier according to claim 28, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and the first light-reflecting layer and / or the second light-reflecting layer have a 90° reflectivity of 80% or more for light of the first wavelength and / or light of the second wavelength.

30. 30. The data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 29, wherein the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent material has a layer thickness of 1 μm or less.

31. 31. A data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 30, wherein a sintered interface exists between the first coating layer and / or the second coating layer and the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent material, respectively.

32. 32. The data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 31, wherein a sintered interface exists between the ceramic substrate and the first and / or second layer of photoluminescent material.

33. 33. The data carrier according to claim 14, wherein the first layer and / or the second layer of photoluminescent material is / are Y ３ Al ５ O １２ ; Ce ３＋ , Lu ２ SiO ５ ; Ce ３＋ , Al ２ O ３ : Ce ３＋ , Al ２ O ３ : Ti ３＋ or a combination thereof.

34. 34. The data carrier according to claim 14, wherein the ceramic substrate contains silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, boron oxide, sodium oxide, potassium oxide, lithium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, or a combination thereof.

35. 35. The data carrier according to claim 14, wherein the ceramic substrate has a thickness of 200 [mu]m or less.

36. 36. The data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 35, wherein the substrate has a Young's modulus of 80 GPa or less.

37. 37. The data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 36, wherein the data carrier does not break even when the radius of curvature is 250 mm.

38. 38. A data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 37, wherein the data carrier is wound in a roll.

39. 39. A method for manufacturing a data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 38, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; forming a plurality of recesses in the first layer of photoluminescent material by laser ablation; A manufacturing method comprising:

40. 39. A method for manufacturing a data carrier according to any one of claims 21 to 38, comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a first layer of photoluminescent material disposed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate; covering the first layer of photoluminescent material with a first coating layer; forming a plurality of recesses in the first coating layer by laser ablation; A manufacturing method comprising:

41. 41. The method of claim 39 or 40, wherein the coating step is performed by physical vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition.

42. 42. The method of any one of claims 39 to 41, further comprising: tempering the coated substrate at a temperature of 200°C or higher; A manufacturing method comprising:

43. 43. The method of any one of claims 39 to 42, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation maximum at a first wavelength and an emission maximum at a second wavelength, and wherein laser ablation processing is performed at the first wavelength.

44. 1. A method for reading information from a data carrier, comprising: Providing a saturated structured illumination microscope (SSIM) or structured illumination microscope (SIM) apparatus including a sample support; placing a data carrier according to any one of claims 14 to 38 on the sample support; acquiring a SIM or SSIM image from the layer of photoluminescent material of the data carrier; processing the SIM or SSIM image to decode the information encoded on the data carrier; A method comprising:

45. 45. The method of claim 44, wherein the maximum cross-sectional dimension of each recess, perpendicular to the depth of the recess, is 100 nm or less.

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