Optical data storage in nonphotosensitive media by femtosecond laser pulses

Ultrashort lasers have become powerful tools by inducing extremely nonlinear effects in a wide variety of materials. Femtosecond laser data storage in non-photosensitive media is promising for its high density and fast retrieval. We reviewed the progress of three types of femtosecond laser storage in transparent materials: three-dimensional bit-oriented storage by micro-voids, holographic data storage by two beam interference and storage by computer-generated holograms.