MO drives

MO drives

Magnetic-Optic drives represent an exciting technology. The media is magnetic, yet very

different from a hard disk. You can only write to it, when it is heated to about 300 degrees

Fahrenheit (The Curie point)

This heating is done with a laser beam. The advantage is that the laser beam can heat a very

minute area precisely. In this manner the rather unprecise magnetic head, can write in

extremely small spots. Thus, writing is done with a laser guided magnet. The laser beam reads

the media. It can detect the polarization of the micro magnets on the media.

MO disks are fast, inexpensive, and extremely stable. They are regarded as almost wear-proof.

They can be written over and over again forever, without signs of wear. The data life span is

said to be at least 15 years. There are many MO drive variations. The most widespread is the

Iomegas Zip drive with the LS120 coming up.

The Zip