Mains Answer Writing - 23 Feb, 2026

GS3

Science & Technology

15 marks

Recent advances have enabled long-term data storage in glass using laser-based nanostructuring. Explain the working principle of glass-based data storage technology and examine its potential advantages and limitations compared to conventional magnetic and solid-state storage systems.

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Tips for your answer

Start with the principle (science first):
Briefly explain femtosecond laser → nanostructures (voxels) in 3-D layers → read by microscope + ML. Keep it 3–4 lines, not physics-heavy.
Compare with existing storage:
Write a small table/points:
HDD/SSD vs Glass → durability, density, energy need, lifespan, rewrite capability.
End with application + limitation:
Applications → archival records, governance data, heritage preservation, space missions.
Limitations → cost, speed, scalability, read/write infrastructure.
Finish with a future-tech concluding line.

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