A Measured Optical Disk Media Error Model and a Compatible Error Management Implementation

Abstract

The bit-error-rate (BER) performance of well designed Optical Disk Recording Systems, like their magnetic recorder predecessors, depends on how well the media error model is known and how compatibly the recorder error management system is designed. The use of diffraction limited, argon laser spots to write and read has led to implementations with high linear packing densities (80 KBPI) and very high track pitches (1.0 um). With this high areal packing density, small defects mask many bits over a number of tracks. An additional complexity is that media tuned for use at the argon wavelengths is not yet commercially available. These factors force the system designer to implement a flexible error management system which can be tailored to the media defect distribution as the media evolves.