Abstract: A holographic data storage medium includes a polymer film which is set up as a storage layer and whose surface structure can be changed locally by heating. The polymer film is set up for the storage of holographic information via the local surface structure of the polymer film. A reflective layer can be provided on the data storage medium.

Abstract: Producing a digital hologram-in a storage medium includes: (i) focusing a write beam onto the storage medium; (ii) moving the write beam two-dimensionally relative to the storage medium; (iii) focusing a scanning beam onto a beam-guiding mask having a plurality of tracks; (iv) moving the scanning beam two-dimensionally relative to the mask, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam; (v) generating a position control signal when the position of the scanning beam deviates from the scanned track by a predefined value; (vi) controlling the position of the write beam on the storage medium with the aid of the position control signal; and (vii) writing the hologram by introducing radiation energy point by point, the intensity of the write beam being controlled as a function of the position of the write beam on the storage medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a sticker for sticking onto an object, having an upper side (Ia) and an underside (Ib), having a substrate (2) which is provided on the upper side (Ia) and has a region (3) for storing an optical structure, having a contact surface (4, 11) which is provided on the underside (Ib), and having an adhesive (5, 6, 12, 14) which is connected to the contact surface (4, 11) for sticking the sticker (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6) onto the object. The problem of specifying a sticker for sticking onto an object, which sticker ensures satisfactory quality of the reproduction of the information contained in the optical structure even in the case of unevennesses of the surface to be adhesively bonded, is solved by at least one part region of the substrate (2) being decoupled from the object in force terms in the adhesively bonded state.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing digital holograms in a storage medium, in which the technical problem of writing computer-generated holograms by means of optical lithography as quickly as possible and with little effort with simultaneous accurate control of the timed triggering and the positioning of the write beam is achieved in that a write beam is focused onto the storage medium and moved one-dimensionally relative to the storage medium, in that a scanning beam is focused onto a trigger mask having a plurality of trigger lines and moved one-dimensionally transversely relative to the trigger lines, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam, in that, during the scanning of the trigger lines, a timed trigger signal is generated as a function of the arrangement of the trigger lines, in that, with the aid of the timed trigger signal, the intensity of the write beam on the storage medium is controlled, and in that the hologram is written line by li

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for identifying articles, wherein article identification data are made available and the article is provided with a hologram representing said data so that the article can be identified by way of an intensity profile corresponding to said hologram. To this end, article-identifying individual data are provided, a hologram profile is digitally calculated using said individual data, and an intensity modulation of the hologram-producing beam is determined. The hologram-producing beam transfers the hologram pixels onto a hologram support that is associated with the article to be identified so that the article can be identified by way of the intensity profile reproduced from the associated hologram support.

Abstract: A lithograph for producing digital holograms in a storage medium includes a light source for producing a write beam, the light source having drive means for the two-dimensional movement of the write beam relative to the storage medium and having a first objective for focusing the write beam onto the storage medium. Writing computer-generated holograms by means of optical lithography is solved in that: a two-dimensional trigger matrix is provided, means of producing a scanning beam are provided, a second objective for focusing the scanning beam onto the trigger matrix is provided, the drive means moves the scanning beam two-dimensionally relative to the surface of the trigger matrix, the movement of the scanning beam being coupled with the movement of the write beam, and means for generating a trigger signal to control the intensity of the write beam are connected to the trigger matrix.

Abstract: A holographic data storage medium has a polymer film which is set up as a storage layer whose refractive index can be changed locally by heating. The polymer film is set up for the storage of optical phase information via the local optical path length of the polymer film, which is illuminated in transmission when the information is read out. To the polymer film, there can be assigned an absorber dye, in order to at least partly absorb a write beam to input information and to give up the heat produced in the process at least partly locally to the polymer film. Preferably, a reflective layer is arranged behind the polymer film.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of providing an article with identifying information, in which a hologram is provided from which at least first and second hologram patterns separated physically from each other can be reproduced. In this case, provision is made for the hologram to be produced in such a way that the first and second hologram patterns can generally be reproduced in one and the same direction but in different planes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lithograph for producing digital holograms in a storage medium (4), having a light source (6, 10) for producing a write beam (12) with a predefined beam cross section, having a writing lens (14) for focusing the write beam (12) onto the storage medium (4) to be written, the writing lens (14) being arranged in a lens holder (16), and having drive means for the two-dimensional movement of the write beam relative to the storage medium. The technical problem of writing computer-generated holograms as quickly as possible and with little effort by means of optical lithography is solved in that a first drive device (18) is provided for moving the lens holder (16) substantially at right angles to the write beam (12) and in that the aperture of the writing lens (14) is smaller than the beam cross section of the write beam (12). The inventon also relates to a method for the lithographic production of a hologram in a storage medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a commonplace object with an outer surface (4) that encircles the commonplace object (2) and with at least one cylindrical section (6) of the surface (4), in which the technical problem of specifying a commonplace object to whose surface a relatively large amount of information can be applied is solved in that the cylindrical section (4) of the surface (6) consists of a material which can be changed optically, and in that a data bit sequence is written along at least one track (8) on the cylindrical section (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a hologram carrier having a hologram surface and a reference surface to facilitate the acquisition of the hologram surface by a device. In this case, provision is made for the reference surface to comprise at least one step, which is arranged to interengage with a complementary formation on the device in order to align said device.

Abstract: An adhesive tape section having an adhesive region and designed as a polygon having a number of sides and the same number of grip tabs arranged around the adhesive region, or designed as a circle, the adhesive region occupying a central portion of said circle, and a grip tab occupying an outer portion of said circle. The adhesive tape section, when bonded to a substrate, forms a bond with the substrate, which bond is releasible from the substrate by pulling on at least on of said grip tabs in the plane of the bond to stretch the adhesive tape section in the plane of the bond thereby to release the adhesive tape section from the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates a lithograph for producing computer-generated holograms in a storage medium (13), provided with a source for generating a write beam (2), a moving lens (4) for focussing the write beam (2), means for displacing the moving lens (4) along a direction of movement (6), and with a means for displacing the write beam (2) in relation to the storage medium (13) in a manner that is perpendicular to the direction of movement (6). The aim of the invention is to provide a lithograph in which disruptions in the movement of a lens perpendicular to the direction of movement thereof do not effect this end, the moving lens (4) has refractive power only essentially in a first direction that is parallel to the direction of movement (6). In addition, a stationary lens (9) is provided, and this stationary lens (9) has refractive power only essentially in a second direction (5), whereby the second direction (5) is perpendicular to the first direction and to the write beam (2).

Abstract: In a method of writing information in a data storage medium comprising an optical information medium which has a polymer carrier (1), atoms and/or molecules (4) that change the refractive index are introduced into the polymer carrier (1), at individual locations associated with information units, as a function of the information to be entered.

Abstract: An adhesive tape dispenser for dispensing and cutting a length of an adhesive tape. The adhesive tape dispenser comprises an adhesive tape cutting device. The adhesive tape cutting device comprises a) a resting surface to which a tacky side of said adhesive tape can be adhered while the adhesive tape is being cut, b) two lateral webs extending in the same direction from both edges of the resting surface to serve as guides for the adhesive tape, and c) a cutting blade having a blade edge and positioned on an inner side of one or both lateral webs in such a way that the blade edge is inclined at an angle which is oblique relative to the resting surface. The lateral webs have a height from the resting surface which is the same or is higher than each cutting blade. The adhesive tape dispenser is useful to dispense and cut adhesive tapes comprising a backing of biaxially oriented or highly stretched film, such as polyolefin.

Abstract: A data storage medium (1) comprises an information carrier which is wound in a spiral fashion and on which information units are provided which can be read optically. The information carrier is optically transparent.