Japanese Memory-Tech is promoting the "Ultimate High Quality CD" (UHQCD) technology for the manufacturing of audio CDs, pushing the limits of the optical disc format.
With the UHQCD, the company is essentially changing the manufacturing method of a CD in order to improve the sound quality, in accordance with a CD standard, in order the produced discs to emain compatible with existing CD players.
CD mass replication is used to make large quantities of discs such as commercial audio CDs. These prerecorded (pressed) discs are manufactured from a mold in a factory setting and are created using a series of industrial processes including premastering, mastering, electroplating, injection molding, metallization, spin coating, printing and quality control.
CD moulding machines are specifically designed high temperature polycarbonate injection moulders that melt the polycarbonate. Then molten plastic is injected into the mould cavity, it is then cooled down and solidified. The moulded "disc" is then ready for metalization (sputtering) and than UV curable lacquer is dispensed onto the newly metallized layer.
A metal stamper is usually used as an injection mold - the process in which molten polycarbonate is injected into the chamber where the stamper is mounted. A clear piece of plastic in the shape and size of a compact disc is then formed. The disc now has all the pits and lands of the digital signal of the original master.
In UHQCD, a photopolymer material is used rather than polycarbonate, in order create more accurate pits from the stamper.
Photopolymers are materials that change from a watery liquid state to a strong, plastic-like solid almost instantaneously when exposed to light of a specific wavelength.
According to Memory-Tech, the liquid state of the photopolymer helps create a more accurate and finer pits from the stamper, compared to conventional polycarbonate.
Memory-tech says that result is an audio Cd as close possible to a master. The company has started mass production of UHQCDs and Pony Canyon plans to release UHQCD audio CDs in Japan.