Abstract: A method of providing a polymeric film with optical anisotropy by applying a polarized light to a polymeric film is disclosed. In the method, a photoisomerizable group or a photoisomerizable molecule has a T (thermal) type photochromic property capable of being isomerized by a thermal back reaction after the isomerization by light. The method includes two successive steps, that is, a step of applying a polarized light to the polymeric film and a step of shutting off a polarized light and leaving the film as it is, and controls the temperature of the polymeric film for enhancing the orientation of the photoisomerizable group or the photoisomerizable molecule induced by the thermal back reaction. An apparatus for practicing the method and an optical anisotropic medium having the polymeric film with high optical anisotropy obtained by the method are also provided.

Abstract: A holographic recording and/or retrieval method and apparatus are provided. An optical recording medium is used which has a recording layer, formed on a surface of a transparent substrate, through which light having an incident angle of a predetermined value or more with respect to the surface is guided, and which changes a refractive index or absorption coefficient upon simultaneous irradiation of signal light of a predetermined wavelength and reference light, and can record holograms by holding the changed refractive index or absorption coefficient. During recording, a hologram is recorded by simultaneously irradiating the recording layer with signal light of predetermined wavelength and reference light. During retrieval, reading light of wavelength that does not change a refractive index or absorption coefficient of the recording layer is guided through the recording layer, and a hologram is retrieved by diffracted light produced when the reading light is guided through the recording layer.

Abstract: A recording liquid including a colorant, water and at least two kinds of fine resin particles. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the two kinds of the fine resin particles are fine self-crosslinkable resin particles. In another preferred embodiment, the number of the kinds of the fine resin particles is 3 or more. Also, disclosed is an image recording method using the recording liquid.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus capable of filtering based on desired spatial frequency characteristics without loss of Fourier spectrum frequency components, and of matched filtering of high recognition capability without losing functions of data recording and reconstruction as well as high-speed transmission and retrieval features and mass storage capacity characteristic of a holographic memory. Fourier transformed object light with 0° polarization of a target image is stored as a hologram using reference light having a spatial polarization distribution such that a daughter wavelet on scale m has 90° polarization. The hologram is retrieved using the Fourier transformed object light with 0° polarization. The hologram yields diffracted light in the form of a spatial frequency component which corresponds to scale m and is polarized 90° with respect to the other spatial frequency components. A polarizing element is used to extract only the spatial frequency component corresponding to scale m.

Abstract: A recording head for carrying out printing by jetting ink drops for deposition at predetermined positions on recording media, and allowing minute drops to be jetted without using a nozzle to record high-definition images. The recording head includes an elastic member vibrating in response to the excitation of a vibration generating means vibrating in accordance with a pixel signal, wherein capillary waves are generated on the surface of ink by the vibration of the elastic member to jet the ink for deposition on recording media. The elastic member is of a cantilever construction that bending vibration is made by excitation.

Abstract: A recording liquid comprising a colorant, water and at least two kinds of fine resin particles. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the two kinds of the fine resin particles are fine self-crosslinkable resin particles. In another preferred embodiment, the number of the kinds of the fine resin particles is 3 or more. Also, disclosed is an image recording method using the recording liquid.