Lucent Technologies announced a new venture, called InPhase Technologies, that is developing high-performance holographic data storage media and systems with the potential to dramatically speed the evolution of the fast-moving entertainment, consumer products and information technology industries.

Using technology in recording media and systems developed at Bell Laboratories, InPhase Technologies will design holographic systems that combine high storage density with high-speed access and fast parallel transfer rates. The venture's holographic products could vastly improve the performance of video, Internet, data warehousing and games applications, which demand ever-increasing performance of storage systems.

Unlike other methods that record data only on the surface of a disk, holographic data storage allows recording through the entire thickness of the material, which allows for a huge increase in storage density. In addition, much igher transfer rates are achievable because the data is stored and recalled in "page format", which can be accessed one million bits at a time.

"With InPhase Technologies, we have combined the right people, technology and financial backing to help commercialize holographic storage, and transform many markets that need its increased performance in storage technology," said Tom Uhlman, president of Lucent's New Ventures Group.

InPhase Technologies has received investments from the venture capital companies Signal Lake, Madison Dearborn Partners and Newton Technology Partners. Imation Corporation is a corporate investor.

"Imation believes that holography is a revolutionary storage technology that can provide dramatic advances in both capacity and speed which are not possible with magnetic or conventional optical technologies. Our investment with InPhase is another example of Imation's continuing support of technologies that show strong growth potential and the opportunity to transform the performance capabilities of storage" said Steve Ladwig, president, Imation Data Storage and Information Management..."