Optical data storage in hydrogel media via spatial light shaping

Optical data storage offers a compelling solution for long-term, high-capacity, and secure information preservation, benefiting from parallel processing capability and resistance to electromagnetic interference. In this work, we propose an integrated strategy that combines femtosecond laser spatial light shaping with functional nanocomposite materials for optical data encoding and encryption. A spatial light modulator (SLM) is used to project modulated laser fields onto polyacrylamide (PAAM) hydrogels doped with silicon–carbon quantum dots (Si-CQDs), enabling direct inscription of binary data into dot-array patterns. Experimental results demonstrate enhanced fluorescence contrast and pattern fidelity in doped hydrogels. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations reveal that thermal excitation induces structural transformations in the composite matrix, including bond breakage, cross-linking, and graphitization, which contribute to the observed fluorescence enhancement. This study presents a scalable and effective platform for advanced optical memory and secure data storage applications.