Abstract: Systems and methods are provided or use with a light source which generates a light beam. These systems may include a detector which detects light beam information and which determines whether multiple modes are present in the light beam so that the light source may be adjusted. These systems may further include a beam splitting device, such as an optical wedge, to provide two sample beams that intersect to provide a fringe pattern. The detector may then detect this fringe pattern and compute a visibility value that may be used to determine whether multiple modes are present.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge and a method of opening a data storage cartridge are provided. The cartridge includes: a storage medium; a housing having at least one media access aperture, the storage medium being provided within the housing such that at least one media access aperture exposes a surface of the storage medium; and a shutter assembly movable from a closed position to an open position. The shutter assembly includes: a cover configured to cover at least one media access aperture when the shutter assembly is in the closed position and to expose at least one media access aperture when the shutter assembly is in the open position; and a shutter cam coupled to the cover, said shutter cam including a lock assembly and a cam portion. The method includes unlocking a lock in the shutter assembly using a shutter opener; and sliding the shutter assembly into an open position using the shutter opener.

Abstract: The present invention provides an article comprising: a binder component, a polymerizable component; and a photoinitiator component comprising at least one photoinitiator that causes the polymerizable component to form a polymer or co-polymer when a portion of the polymerizable component is exposed to a light source. The present invention also provides a method for making such an article, and a method and a system for holographically recording a spatial light distribution to such an article. The present invention also provides an article comprising: a binder component and a photoactive component, a method of making such an article, a method of recording to such an article and a system for recording to such an article.

Abstract: The present invention provides a scanner comprising: a base member; a scanning beam reflective member having a first tilt axis and a second tilt axis orthogonal to the first tilt axis; a mounting assembly for mounting the scanning beam reflective member on the base member for tilting of thereof along the first and second tilt axes; an actuator for tilting the scanning beam reflective member along the first and second tilt axes to provide a tilt orientation; a magnet assembly which generates one or more magnetic fields which are responsive and correlated to the tilt orientation; and a magnetic field sensor assembly for sensing the magnetic fields generated by the magnet assembly to thereby indicate the tilt orientation. The mounting assembly may comprise a suspension assembly having a tilt imparting assembly for imparting tilt to the reflective member, and a reflective member holder assembly for holding the reflective member.

Abstract: A new type of FT lens is provided that improves phase conjugation in holographic data systems. This type of FT lens has a uniquely large isoplanatic patch. This enables relaxed assembly tolerances, asymmetric reader/writer architectures, and compensation for tilted plate aberrations in the media.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spatial flexure comprising: a base section; an end section; and an intermediate laterally contracting and expanding section connecting the base and end sections, whereby when the intermediate section laterally expands or contracts, the end section pivots downwardly or upwardly. The present invention further provides a spatial flexure scanner comprising: a base section; a scanning beam reflective section; an intermediate laterally contracting and expanding section connecting the base and reflective sections; an actuator associated with the base section; a scanning beam reflective mirror connected to the reflective section; means connecting the actuator and the reflective member for causing lateral contraction or expansion of the intermediate section in response to the actuator, whereby when the intermediate section laterally expands or contracts, the reflective section pivots downwardly or upwardly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a scanner comprising: a reflector component; means supporting the reflector component for pivoting with respect to the MCR to provide a scan which is stationary with respect to the OCR; means for enabling the support means to provide controlled pivoting of the reflector component; a magnet component which causes pivoting of the reflector component when actuated; and means for actuating the magnet component to thereby cause pivoting of the reflector component. Also provided is a scanner comprising a reflective prism for providing a circularized scanning beam, a prism carrier and magnet suspension assembly, and flexure means connected to the assembly to enable the prism to controllably pivot: (1) with respect to the MCR axis to provide a scan which is stationary with respect to the OCR; and (2) with respect to a pitch axis orthogonal to the MCR to provide an orthogonal scan.

Abstract: A laser system comprising a laser assembly for generating a light beam, and collimation assembly movable axially with respect to the laser assembly and being positioned in the optical path of the light beam. The collimation assembly comprises a collimation lens group comprising a first lens component positioned within a first lens mounting cell, a second lens component positioned within a second lens mounting cell and provided with a central portion for receiving and cooperating with the first cell to thereby adjust the axial spacing between the first and second lens components, means for radially adjusting the position of the second cell with respect to the first cell to thereby radially adjust the optical axis of the second lens component with respect to the optical axis of the first lens component, and means formed in the central and flange portions of the second cell for creating flexure therein.

Abstract: An electromechanical shutter device comprising a base member and a shutter assembly comprising: an electrical current source member; a shutter member movable between a light beam blocked position and a light beam passed position; a light beam blocking member associated with the shutter member; a shutter coil associated with the shutter member which generates an electromagnetic force when energized; at least one magnet which generates a magnet flux directed towards and intersecting the shutter coil; electrically conductive means connecting the electrical current source member to the shutter member for passing electrical current to energize the shutter coil and to control movement of the shutter member between the light beam blocked and passed positions; wherein when the shutter coil is energized, an electromagnetic force is generated that interacts with the magnetic flux to thereby cause movement of the shutter member between the light beam blocked and light beam passed positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides loading and unloading mechanisms, and data drives for data storage cartridges. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms for a data storage cartridge may: operate in a manner such that the drive door of the data drive may be fully closed before the disk medium is exposed, e.g., before opening of the associated shutter of the cartridge; be powered by the same drive motor assembly that is used to move or transport the cartridge to the optical head assembly used for writing and/or reading of data from the disk medium of the cartridge; and may fit within a standard configuration for a data drive. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms, as well as the data drives, may provide reliable operation, ease of assembly, and of the parts and components necessary for the reliable operation, and positive data cartridge positioning, as well as minimizing backlash in the drive motor/gear assembly.

Abstract: An apodization system for achieving a substantially uniform intensity profile of a modulated reference beam on a holographic recording medium. The substantially uniform intensity profile serves to improve the quality of any and all recorded holograms. In high-density holographic storage, the apodization system reduces the required hologram extent while still, maintaining any fidelity constraints (power budget, imaging tolerances, error-rate, noise floor). Furthermore, in high-fidelity holographic storage, better control of the hologram recording parameters can be established. The improved control allows tighter specifications on the image quality to be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition comprising at least one a photoactive index-contrasting polymerizable material, wherein the photoactive polymerizable material comprises at least one reactive functional group and at least one index-contrasting group, and wherein the photoactive polymerizable material includes one or more of the following parameters: (1) a distance between at least one reactive group and at least one index-contrasting group which is at least to the average radius of the index-contrasting group; (2) two or more reactive groups per photoactive polymerizable materials; (3) an index-contrasting group having a strong chromophore absorption at a wavelength shorter than the recording wavelength, and (4) the photoactive polymerizable material comprises a reactive nanoparticle. The photoactive polymerizable material may be used to prepare an article by, for example, dispersion thereof in a support matrix, which may be used, for example, to record holograms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to: stabilizing a holographic disk medium against vibrations by engaging at least one of surface of a disk medium when coupled to a disk medium coupler and during recording or reading holograms to or from the disk; stabilizing the disk medium proximate the outer peripheral portion thereof, coupling and uncoupling the disk medium to and from the disk medium coupler and causing the stabilizing means to engage the disk medium when coupled to the disk medium coupler; imparting an axial offset proximate the peripheral portion to deflect a record and/or read portion of the disk medium towards a normal record and/or read plane when coupled to the disk medium coupler, and optionally stabilizing the disk medium against vibrations; and stabilizing the disk medium against vibrations when rotatably mounted on or within a data storage cartridge.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods are provided for a tunable laser device. The tunable laser device may include a diffraction grating connected to a pivot arm that pivots the diffraction grating about a pivot point to tune the laser device. In pivoting the diffraction grating about the pivot point, both the wavelength to which the diffraction grating is tuned and the length of the optical cavity may be changed. The length of the pivot arm may be selected to reduce the number of mode hops of the tunable laser device when tuning the laser device over its tuning range.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described herein for calculating a wavelength to use for a reference beam in recovering data from a holographic storage medium along with calculating a rotation and a tilt for the storage medium in data recovery. These systems and method comprise determining intensity levels for a plurality of windows (or subsets of pixels) for a data page as the angle of the reference beam is adjusted. The angles corresponding to the angles where the maximum intensity of light is detected for each window is then used in determining the wavelength, tilt, and rotation in recovering subsequent data pages from the holographic storage medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spatial flexure comprising: a base section; an end section; and an intermediate laterally contracting and expanding section connecting the base and end sections, whereby when the intermediate section laterally expands or contracts, the end section pivots downwardly or upwardly. The present invention further provides a spatial flexure scanner comprising: a base section; a scanning beam reflective section; an intermediate laterally contracting and expanding section connecting the base and reflective sections; an actuator associated with the base section; a scanning beam reflective mirror connected to the reflective section; means connecting the actuator and the reflective member for causing lateral contraction or expansion of the intermediate section in response to the actuator, whereby when the intermediate section laterally expands or contracts, the reflective section pivots downwardly or upwardly.

Abstract: A holographic recording medium having a polymer matrix comprising a developer, wherein the holographic recording medium is capable of recording a latent hologram and the developer is capable of developing the latent hologram into a readable hologram by activation of the developer is disclosed. The holographic recording medium is capable of storing large numbers of holograms in the same volume with better signal resolution than previous holographic media by first recording a multitude of latent (or very weak) holograms in the same volume of space, then applying preferably a non-chemical fixing step to develop the latent holograms into readable holograms. The holographic recording medium and method of this invention cause the holograms to increase in diffraction efficiency, thus preventing complications caused during recording of holograms whereby previously recorded holograms interfere with latter recorded holograms in the same volume of space within the media.

Abstract: Disclosed are mesophasic optical articles, methods of making mesophasic articles and methods of using mesophasic articles. In particular, this invention relates to mesophasic optical articles that can be prepared in situ with out the need of calcination, sintering, solvent evaporation, or other common method.

Abstract: A novel liquid photoreactive asymmetric acrylate compound containing sulfur, aromatic moieties, and optionally bromine, and having high dynamic range sensitivity is disclosed. The acrylate compound is a monomer for a photoimageable system. In one embodiment, when about 2–8% by weight of the acrylate compound is dissolved in a two-component urethane matrix system and incorporated in an optical article formed by reacting the two-component urethane matrix system, the optical article shows a sensitivity of about 4 or more and a shrinkage during the formation of the optical article of about 0.05% versus a sensitivity of 2.26 and a shrinkage of 0.13% when tribromophenyl acrylate, a commercial monomer, was used.

Abstract: The present invention provides one or more books of holograms recorded in a recording medium, wherein two or more short stacks of the one or more books have locations that differ from each other by a movement difference. The present invention also provides methods and devices for recording and reading holograms from the one or more books of holograms.