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Abstract

A dark-field imaging system and method that employs photon tunneling to optically encode and decode information at full-field and in real-time or substantially real-time for recording and retrieval purposes. The system is particularly useful for high density information storage in media in which submicron scattering sites are formed. The system comprises an illumination section for illuminating a surface of an optical recording media with an evanescent field. A collecting section is positioned with respect to the illuminated surface to channel radiant energy converted from the evanescent field by the scattering sites to unbound energy propagating away from the surface. Various embodiments of the illumination section are disclosed including the use of a bulk optic prismatic element, the forward aplantic element of a compound microscope objective, diffracting gratings, and optical waveguides. In each embodiment the collection section and illumination section may be completely optically and, thus, physically uncoupled.

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First Claim