An adaptive optics system is designed and constructed to recover information from damaged optical media. The system is based on an Olympus IX70 microscope with custom illumination and detection. A scanning 408nm laser beam provides both the reference beam for the adaptive optics system and the data beam for imaging of data marks. A two-dimensional galvanometer system is used to scan the focused laser over the sample, and a precision z stage is used to change focus planes. The adaptive optics system is based on a Thorlabs AO kit with a Shack-Hartman wavefront sensor and a deformable mirror. A custom objective lens using a solid immersion lens is implemented that provides NA up to 1.5. Several types of data storage substrates are examined, including partial DVD and BD substrates, small 2cm-square pieces of DVD and BD substrates, and dust fragments on the order of 2mm in size. In order to view the dust fragments, they are collected on a microscope slide and melted to reflow the plastic and reveal data-containing flakes.
|