Magneto Optical Disks

Magneto Optical Disc
These drives use a hybrid of magnetic and optical technologies, employing laser to read data on the disk, while additionally needing magnetic field to write data. An MO disk drive is so designed that an inserted disk will be exposed to a magnet on the label side and to the light (laser beam) on the opposite side. The disks, which come in 3.5in and 5.25in formats, have a special alloy layer that has the property of reflecting laser light at slightly different angles depending on which way it's magnetized, and data can be stored on it as north and south magnetic spots, just like on a hard disk.