Design Considerations for a Magneto-optic Cryogenic Film Memory

It has been shown that certain materials, because of their ability to rotate the polarization vector of plane polarized light, can be applied to very large data-stores. One such material (iron-doped europium oxide) requires an operating temperature below 100 K. To produce an experimental device with superior cost/performance, a rotating disk file configuration was chosen. In developing this machine there were many unique demands placed on bearing technology, vacuum technology and system configuration. These and some material considerations, as well as the novel engineering features, will be described.