Subjects         Chips & Upgrades   Computers   News   Opinions   Peripherals Systems Software   SysOpt

internet.commerce Be a Commerce Partner

Search for more hardware and systems terms . . .

ETOM Last modified: Monday, May 21, 2001

Short for electron-trapping optical memory. Developed by Optex, ETOM is a method of erasable optical storage. Information is written, or stored, by a low-power laser tuned to a specific frequency. The laser elevates the energy level of electrons to a trapped state. The data is read by a second laser that returns the elevated electrons to their ground state.