Dave Horvath
25 Jan 2008 16:09
Sony has announced today that they have successfully produced a read/write Blu-ray laser that is only 3mm thick. This new thin laser was developed in cooperation with Nichia and can read dual layer media, including those that use organic dyes. Sony says by reducing the size and the complexity of the laser assembly, production costs will go down and ultimately amount to cheaper players for consumers. The first device planned to incorporate this new laser assembly will be a 9.5mm thick laptop available later this year.
Cost savings come from a simpler manufacturing process that will yield dividends in mass production, while other features include the ability to handle dual-layer Blu-ray Discs and disks with organic dye in the recording layers. Organic disks can be churned out from existing DVD production lines, thereby adding up to saving across the board.