New data storage technology from Microsoft using glass
Glass-based data storage technology capable of storing data for 10,000 years
Microsoft has developed a breakthrough in glass-based data storage technology capable of storing information for up to 10,000 years. This innovation uses improvements in writing techniques and reading data and new storage methods, making the technology more accessible and applied.
This technology was presented by scientists in the journal Nature On February 18, 2026. The project, named Project Silica, has been developed since 2019 and is now able to store data on ordinary borosilicate glass—a type of heat-resistant glass commonly used in kitchen utensils. Previously, data storage could only be done on pure silica glass which was expensive and difficult to obtain.
In a recent study, the research team demonstrated the ability to encode data on borosilicate glass while introducing new techniques for coding and reading data. Richard Black, the partner’s research manager at Microsoft, stated that these advances managed to overcome the main obstacles to commercialization: the cost and availability of storage media.
The research team managed to store 4.8 data terabita—equivalent to about 200 4K films—in 301 layers on a piece of glass measuring 2 x 120 millimeters. The writing speed reaches 3.13 megabytes per second. Although this speed is slower than modern hard drives and SSDs, testing shows that data can last more than 10,000 years. Compared to conventional storage media which usually only lasts about a decade, this technology is much more durable.
This long-term durability makes glass and ceramic-based storage more suitable for archival needs. Theoretically, this format is considered more reliable as a long-term repository for large amounts of data.
In the study, the research team also reported several technical breakthroughs. They improved the technique of writing voxel birefringent with laser waves through the pseudo-single pulse method. In addition, they apply parallel writing skills, so many voxels can be written simultaneously to speed up the process.
The team also developed a new type of storage called Phase Voxels, which is a method of encoding data through changes in the phase of glass material, not polarization. This technique only requires one laser pulse and is equipped with a new method to read data.
Researchers also found a way to identify aging data in glass voxels. The method, combined with the standard accelerated aging test, shows that the data has the potential to last more than 10,000 years.
Going forward, the team plans to improve writing and reading technology, including the improvement of the laser system as well as the exploration of various glass compositions to find the most optimal material for long-term data storage.
