New photopolymerizable holographic recording material based on polyvinylalcohol and 2-hydroxiethylmethacrylate (HEMA)

We have developed a new polyvinylalcohol-based photopolymeric holographic recording material. The recording is obtained by the copolymerization of acrylamide and 2-hydroxiethylmethacrylate (HEMA). Diffraction efficiencies near 70% are obtained with exposures of ≈65 mJ/cm² in materials of 110-μm thickness. The addition of HEMA increases the thickness of the film, which results in improved storage capacity for holographic optical storage. Received: 7 March 2002 / Published online: 2 May 2002     

Photoinduced transformations and holographic recording in nanolayered a-Se/As2S3 and AsSe/As2S3 films

Received: 13 October 1998 / Accepted: 9 December 1998 / Published online: 24 February 1999     

Estimation of trap concentration in photorefractive crystals by a technique of adaptive holographic interferometry

12 GeO₂₀, Bi₁₂SiO₂₀, Bi₁₂TiO₂₀). Received: 17 June 1998/Revised version: 3 August 1998     

Holographic study of chain length in photopolymerizable compositions

We describe a study of the free-radical homopolymerization kinetics for a system based on acrylamide, triethanolamine and methylene blue by analyzing temporal variations of the diffraction efficiency. The modulation index is related to the component’s parameters, giving as a result a method that can be used to determine the chain length of the polymer and the kinetic rate constants. By using this method we have studied the effect of intensity on the kinetic parameters of the photopolymerization process. Received: 20 August 2001 / Published online: 7 February 2002     

Optical holographic memory using angular-rotationally phase-coded multiplexing in a LiNbO3:Fe crystal

We propose a new holographic memory scheme based on random-phase-coded multiplexing in a photorefractive LiNbO₃:Fe crystal. Experimental results show that rotating a diffuser placed as a random-phase modulator in the path of the reference beam provides a simple yet effective method of increasing the holographic storage capabilities of the crystal. Combining this rotational multiplexing with angular multiplexing offers further data-storage possibilities. The advantage of using post-image versus pre-image phase modulation of the object beam is demonstrated. Received: 15 August 2000 / Published online: 10 January 2001     

Photorefractive effects in long, narrow BSO crystals with applied electric field

In a photorefractive Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ crystal with high applied electric ac field of square-wave shape a fast two-wave coupling response (less than 1 s) and a slow hologram readout decay (minutes) was found for a wavelength of 633 nm. This can be explained by electron–hole transport with two trap levels. An intensity dependence of the slower complementary grating was found. Illuminating with the readout wave without applied electric field leads to a very slow grating decay (many hours). Received: 18 November 1998 / Revised version: 3 February 1999 / Published online: 7 April 1999     

Holographic angle multiplexing combined with peristrophic multiplexing in a photorefractive LiNbO3 crystal

We have investigated angle multiplexing combined with peristrophic (rotational) multiplexing in a photorefractive LiNbO₃ crystal of cylindrical shape. The peristrophic multiplexing was achieved by rotating the recording medium while the angle multiplexing, by varying the incident angle of the reference beam. Angle multiplexing in synchronization with rotation of the sample made it possible to continuously record and retrieve holograms. In the combined multiplexing, holograms were stored at different peristrophic positions and thus their angular selectivity could be much improved in comparison to that of only angle-multiplexed holograms. The theoretical angular selectivity was derived, along with its dependence on the sample rotation. The experimentally measured selectivity was in agreement with the theoretical one. The angular selectivity of angle-multiplexed holograms was measured to be 0.03° in the absence of sample rotation and it became less than 0.0075° with a sample rotation by 5.4°.     

Effect of the incorporation of N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide on the multiplexing of holograms in a hydrophilic acrylamide photopolymer

The behaviour of a hydrophilic acrylamide photopolymer, with and without crosslinker (N,N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide), in solid layers 700 μm thick is analyzed. Slanted diffraction gratings are multiplexed at constant and variable exposure. Variable exposure time scheduling, with increased exposure time by steps is used in order to determine the effect on the dynamic range and the homogenization of diffraction efficiency values. This scheduling results in a greater dynamic range compared with constant time multiplexing. For crosslinked photopolymer, those exposure times are excessive (higher energetic sensitivity) and there is overlapping of the individual angular response curves for each stored diffraction grating.     

Hologram multiplexing in acrylamide hydrophilic photopolymers

Unslanted diffraction gratings are recorded in a 900 μm thick acrylamide photopolymer by means of peristrophic multiplexing. A solid state Nd:YAG (λ = 532 nm) laser is used as the recording beam, with a total incident intensity of 5 mW/cm², and a He-Ne laser as the reconstruction beam. The dye concentration in the photopolymer is optimized so that it does not limit the dynamic range. Nine holograms are recorded using constant exposure time scheduling and variable exposure time scheduling. From the results obtained it may be deduced that optimization of the dye allows us to work in the linear response region of the photopolymer and at the same time obtain high values of diffraction efficiency for each hologram. An exponential increase in exposure time as the number of holograms increases enables the values of diffraction efficiency to be homogenized with regard to the case of constant exposure scheduling. In this way, better use is made of the dynamic range of acrylamide hydrophilic photopolymer.     

Inscription of holographic gratings using circularly polarized light: influence of the optical set-up on the birefringence and surface relief grating properties

The polarization properties of the optical set-up used for holographic recording of diffraction gratings on azopolymer thin films are analyzed. The state of polarization of circularly polarized light is fully analyzed after reflection on a mirror at various incidences (Lloyd-mirror set-up). The Stokes analysis is performed using a photopolarimeter and the phase shift, the ellipticity and the azimuth orientation are compared with those calculated from Fresnel formulae. At large angles of incidence, an initially right circularly polarized (RCP) beam becomes elliptically polarized with an azimuth of nearly +45°. From these results, holographic diffraction gratings are recorded on an azobenzene-containing polymer thin film using (i) co- and contra-circularly polarized beams and (ii) a right circularly polarized beam interfering with a +45° linearly polarized light beam. Using Jones-matrix formalism, the polarization states of the diffracted orders from the birefringence (Δn) and the surface-relief (2Δd) gratings are derived and compared with experimental measurements. Finally, the induced local birefringences and surface-relief amplitudes are discussed in connection with atomic force microscopy measurements. The diffraction efficiencies obtained under the (+45°+RCP) and (LCP + RCP) (where LCP = left circularly polarized) configurations are thus compared and discussed. Received: 5 October 2001 / Revised version: 26 November 2001 / Published online: 17 January 2002     

Nonlinear diffraction in gratings based on polymer–dispersed TiO 2 nanoparticles

In this letter we report a simple technique to produce volume holographic gratings based on photopolymerizable composites containing TiO₂ nanoparticles. Diffraction gratings with high refractive index modulation amplitude (up to 1.25 × 10⁻²) have been formed due to the periodic distribution of high refractive index nanoparticles in a low refractive index polymer matrix. The diffraction efficiency increases strongly on increasing the nanoparticle concentration. Taking the mixture with 10 wt.% TiO₂ nanoparticles, gratings with high diffraction efficiency, low level of scattering and high transparency in the visible-wavelength range have been obtained. This will ultimately lead to different applications of diffractive optical elements based on nanocomposites. The dependence of the gratings’ diffraction efficiency on the intensity of probe laser pulses at 1064 nm has been explored. It is shown that the nonlinear response of the gratings is attributed mainly to the nonlinear properties of the TiO₂ nanoparticles embedded in the polymer matrix. The mechanism of the grating formation and the reasons for the nonlinear behavior of the diffraction efficiency are discussed.     

Approach to wavelet multiresolution analysis using Coiflets and a two-wave mixing arrangement

An approach to the wavelet multiresolution analysis is realized using Coiflet wavelets and a two-wave mixing arrangement via transmission gratings in a bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) crystal. A Coiflet filter acts not only as a band-pass filter but as a high-pass or low-pass filter. 2-D wavelet bases are generated by a tensorial product of the 1-D Coiflet bases and are separable in x and y. Therefore, the 1-D band-pass property produces direction ability in the 2-D tensorial products. In this way, unlike the Mexican hat-based filters, the Coiflet-based filters allow selecting horizontal, vertical or diagonals details of an original image. The decomposition of a signal in two levels of multiresolution is experimentally demonstrated in this scheme. The original image is discomposed in an average image and several detail images depending on the level of multiresolution. Coif12 wavelets are used to achieve the multiresolution analysis. The photorefractive implementation of the wavelet analysis is numerically simulated and experimentally performed. An agreement between numerical and experimental results is obtained.     

Holographic recording mechanisms of gratings in indium oxide films using 325 nm helium–cadmium laser irradiation

UV (325 nm) holographic recording of gratings in indium oxide films fabricated by reactive pulsed laser deposition has been investigated as a function of growth temperature, oxygen pressure and angle of incidence of the plasma plume on the substrate. The influence of the ambient environment (air or vacuum) and the film temperature during recording has also been studied. Large steady state refractive index changes up to 6×10^-3 were observed in layers grown at an oblique angle of 75°. About 77% of the magnitude of these changes residues after thermal annealing and is attributed to UV-induced permanent structural rearrangements. In contrast, refractive index changes in films grown at normal incidence were smaller in magnitude and completely reversible. Received: 30 July 2001 / Accepted: 20 November 2001 / Published online: 23 January 2002     

Low-Power Super-resolution Readout with Antimony Bismuth Alloy Film as Mask layer

Sb-Bi alloy flms are proposed as a new kind of super-resolution mask layer with low readout threshold power. Using the Sb-Bi alloy film as a mask layer and SiN as a protective layer in a read-only memory disc, the superresolution pits with diameters of 380 nm are read out by a dynamic setup, the laser wavelength is 780 nm and the numerical aperture of pickup lens is 0.45. The effects of the Sb-Bi thin film thickness, laser readout power and disc rotating velocity on the readout signal are investigated. The results show that the threshold laser power of super-resolution readout of the Sb-Bi mask layer is about 0.5 m W, and the corresponding carrier-to-noise ratio is about 20 dB at the film thickness of 50nm. The super-resolution mechanism of the Sb-Bi alloy mask layer is discussed based on its temperature dependence of reflection.     

Two-photon recording of microholograms in photopolymer materials with new cationic thioxanthone photoinitiators

We have demonstrated two-photon induced recording of the microholograms at an arbitrary point within thick (∼100 μm) photopolymer material using photoinitiators on a basis of new cationic thioxanthone derivatives. Such material provides high values of refractive index change Δn = 4.8 × 10⁻³, and holographic recording sensitivity S = 1.2 cm/J. A nanosecond laser pulse at a wavelength of 532 nm was used for recording. For the selective on the depth reading of the microholograms the method of collinear heterodyning was applied.     

Indium oxide thin-film holographic recorders grown by excimer laser reactive sputtering

2 O₃) thin films on glass substrates is performed by pulsed laser ablation of a metallic indium target in an oxygen atmosphere. X-ray diffraction analysis verifies that a transition, from amorphous to polycrystalline film growth, occurs at a temperature of 150 °C. Films grown under optimized conditions exhibit optical transmission higher than 80% in the visible light. Ultraviolet radiation (λ= 325 nm) induced dynamic holographic recording in films deposited at specific temperature and oxygen pressure settings is also demonstrated. Received: 25 April 1997/Accepted: 27 May 1997     

Saturation effect in azobenzene polymers used for polarization holography

The saturation behavior of diffraction efficiency has been experimentally studied and theoretically modeled in azobenzene polyesters by recording polarization gratings with two beams of orthogonal circular polarization. The model is an extension of the phenomenological expression of Kakichashvili, derived from the rate equations for photoanisotropic materials, taking into account the effect of saturation with time and intensity. The saturation model of the polyester material can be used for the computer simulation of a polarization holographic data storage system under development. The simulation is based on fast Fourier transforms, taking the parameters of the recording material and the optical processes into account. Agreement between measured and simulated results proves the applicability of the saturation model as an efficient tool in the optimization of the system. Received: 16 September 2002 / Published online: 3 April 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +36-1/463-4194, E-mail: pvarhe@math.bme.hu     

High diffraction efficiency in SBN with applied fields near the coercive field

We present the experiments and results of our investigation of electrical fixing in SBN:60. We propose an optical method for determining the value of the coercive field in ferroelectric crystals. An interferometric method is used to map the change in the index of refraction with negative applied fields, where the minimum of the index change is an indication of the coercive field. From this experiment, values of 1.55 kV±20 V for the coercive voltage and 147±6 pm/V for the linear electro-optic coefficient are found. Two electrical-fixing techniques that result in very high diffraction efficiencies are presented, discussed and compared to previous publications on electrical fixing in SBN. High diffraction efficiencies of about 95% were achieved with the application of negative fields near the coercive region, during and after holographic recording in the crystal. Received: 6 December 2000 / Revised version: 13 February 2001 / Published online: 27 April 2001     

Effects of applied DC/AC fields in electrical fixing process with SBN:60

We present experimental investigations of electrical fixing techniques in Ce:SBN:60. The effect of crystal fatigue on the diffraction efficiency of electrically fixed photorefractive gratings is studied. We observed that applying an ac field to the crystal eliminated crystal fatigue and improved diffraction efficiency. A controllable diffraction efficiency of a photorefractive grating is presented. A reproducible diffraction efficiency of up to 75% is obtained using a write-reveal grating technique with high-voltage pulses of opposite polarity. We also show that the diffraction efficiency can be controlled by varying the intensity of the writing beams incident to the crystal during the recording process. A method of determining the hysteresis loop using the domain-fixing technique is proposed. The dependence of the diffraction efficiency on the direction of the applied electric field while writing the hologram is studied. Our experiments show that, during writing, when the electric field is applied opposite to the c axis the grating can be successfully revealed with both positive and negative dc voltages. However, when the grating is written with a field parallel to the c axis, the grating can be revealed only with a field applied in the opposite direction. Received: 28 October 2002 / Revised version: 28 February 2003 / Published online: 14 May 2003 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +1-812/872-6167, E-mail: azad.siahmakoun@rose-hulman.edu     

Optically controlled image storage in azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer films

We report on optically controlled image storage based on photo-induced alignment in azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymer films. Measurements reveal that the polymer film possesses photo-induced birefringence of large magnitude and the characteristic of long-term optical storage. The photo-induced alignment process is used for storing images. The stored image is read from the film placed between two crossed polarizers. It is demonstrated clearly that the alignment of the azo chromophores as well as the stored image can be easily controlled by choosing the appropriate polarization of the irradiating light or by rotating the film. Received: 20 October 1998 / Revised version: 7 December 1998 / Published online: 31 March 1999