Abstract: An optical data storage system and method comprising a photopolymer medium having generally a polymerizable monomer, an active binder, a first, hologram recording polymerization initiator, and a second, data writing polymerization initiator. The monomer is preferably a cationic ring-opening monomer. The hologram recording polymerization initiator preferably comprises a sensitizer and photoacid generator which initiate a first polymerization in the medium which defines a format hologram. The format hologram recording is carried out via interference of a signal and reference beam, with the sensitizer being specific for the wavelength(s) of the signal and reference beams. The hologram recording polymerization is only partial and does not consume all of the monomer present in the photopolymer medium.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling multiple users from different physical locations to access, observe, control and manipulate physical processes and devices over a computer network such as the Internet is disclosed. A user may visually monitor the physical set up and state of an experiment or environment by receiving live video and data, as well as directly control instrumentation while receiving live feedback regarding the input commands. Measurement data may be collected into a database and computational analysis can be generated and displayed as a physical process is being performed. An online interactive laboratory notebook is also provided that manages items such as collected data, laboratory parameters, “to do” lists, personal notes, etc.

Abstract: A digital electronic camera includes a holographic medium, an imaging array disposed at a focal plane for converting optical information to digital information; and an optical system configured to store the digital information onto the holographic medium. An optical system for retrieving images stored in the medium may be provided inside the camera or as a separate appliance.

Abstract: An optical information medium comprising at least two data layers for bearing recorded information, and a servo layer for bearing tracking servo information which is independently formed from the data layers; wherein the medium is used with a recording or reading system wherein a data beam for recording or reading the data in the data layer and a servo beam for reading the tracking servo information in the servo layer are used, and the servo layer is read by the servo beam that had passed through the data layer; and a filter layer is disposed between the data layer and the servo layer, and the filter layer exhibits higher absorption to the data beam than to the servo beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optical data storage and/or retrieval using an optical data storage medium having a spatially-modulated refractive index that can be altered locally with optical methods. Data can be written at a plurality of depths throughout the volume of the medium using a write beam and relatively simple and inexpensive optical components. The write beam stores data locally by physical distortion of the medium at discrete storage locations. The alterations can be detected as variations in the reflectivity of the storage locations using a retrieval beam.

Abstract: An optical data storage system and method comprising a photopolymer medium having generally a polymerizable monomer, an active binder, a first, hologram recording polymerization initiator, and a second, data writing polymerization initiator. The monomer is preferably a cationic ring-opening monomer. The hologram recording polymerization initiator preferably comprises a sensitizer and photoacid generator which initiate a first polymerization in the medium which defines a format hologram. The format hologram recording is carried out via interference of a signal and reference beam, with the sensitizer being specific for the wavelength(s) of the signal and reference beams. The hologram recording polymerization is only partial and does not consume all of the monomer present in the photopolymer medium.

Abstract: Digital data bits are stored at storage locations at plural depths within a holographic storage medium as selective, localized alterations in a format hologram. Micro-localized regions of a reflection format hologram extending throughout the medium are deleted by focusing a high-power laser beam at desired storage locations. The deletion regions have a lower reflectivity than the surrounding parts of the format hologram. Tunable-focus storage and retrieval heads, as well as dynamic aberration compensators, are used for multi-depth access. Storage and retrieval may each be achieved with a single head.

Abstract: The holographic storage and retrieval system according to the present invention comprises one convex reflector and one concave reflector having the same optical axis. The reflective surfaces of the two reflectors are opposite each other. The concave reflector is normally larger than the convex reflector. The holographic storage medium is positioned at the focal surface of the concave reflector. The spherical reflector system according to the present invention has nearly ideal performance off-axis: high bandwidth, low aberration imaging is permitted at a number of radial and axial locations. Thus, multiple SLM/CCD pairs can be placed off-axis to access the same storage medium and implement multiple interconnects.

Abstract: A method for coded-wavelength multiplexing according to which a signal waves S.sub.i (r) is recorded in a holographic medium in a counter-propagating geometry using corresponding writing reference waves R.sub.i (r). The method involves selecting discrete wavelengths .lambda. and encoding reference wave vectors .rho..sub.l which make up writing reference waves R.sub.i (r) such that the writing reference waves R.sub.i (r) at each wavelength .lambda. are orthogonal. The stored signal waves S.sub.i (r) are reconstructed in the form of reconstruction waves A.sub.c (.sigma.) with reconstruction reference waves R.sub.c (r) selected from among the writing reference waves R.sub.i (r). In the event of angular multiplexing of the reference wave vectors .rho..sub.l, it is possible to use one reference wave to produce a number of reconstruction waves A.sub.c (.sigma.) and generate a mosaic of desired holographic pages.

Abstract: Digital data bits are stored as discrete-level reflection microholograms in a multi-depth digital optical data storage system. Reference and signal beams are incident in a counterpropagating geometry on opposite faces of a tape. The reflection microholograms are stored at the coinciding focus of the reference and signal beams. The holograms are stored at the diffraction limit of high-N.A. optics, and have relatively high grating frequencies and small sizes. Dynamic aberration compensators correct for the depth-varying spherical aberration imparted to the beams by the medium. Multiple mutually-incoherent lasers are used for parallel storage and retrieval to increase data transfer rates. Achievable densities and signal-to-noise ratios are substantially higher than for index-perturbation or transmission hologram storage methods.

Abstract: A holographic data storage apparatus having no readout lens. The apparatus has a spatial light modulator (SLM), a focusing element such as a lens, a holographic data storage material and a spatial light detector such as a CCD. The lens is located between the SLM and CCD such that the SLM is imaged onto the CCD (i.e. the positions of the SLM, lens, and CCD satisfy the lens equation). The holographic storage material is located between the lens and CCD. Preferably, the storage material is located centered upon a Fourier plane of the lens. In this case, the apparatus also has a phase mask located adjacent to the SLM. Alternatively, the storage material is located a distance away from the Fourier plane or is not centered on the Fourier plane. In yet another embodiment, the holographic storage material is located in contact with the CCD.

Abstract: An encryption method and apparatus for holographic data storage are disclosed. In a system using orthogonal phase-code multiplexing, data is encrypted by modulating the reference beam using an encryption key K represented by a unitary operator. In practice, the encryption key K corresponds to a diffuser or other phase-modulating element placed in the reference beam path, or to shuffling the correspondence between the codes of an orthogonal phase function and the corresponding pixels of a phase spatial light modulator. Because of the lack of Bragg selectivity in the vertical direction, the phase functions used for phase-code multiplexing are preferably one dimensional. Such phase functions can be one-dimensional Walsh functions. The encryption method preserves the orthogonality of reference beams, and thus does not lead to a degradation in crosstalk performance.

Abstract: A video image F?k! is identified as a basis image and stored as a basis page S?k! in a holographic storage medium. A subsequent image F?k+n! is stored by recording in the medium a page S?k+n!=F?k+n!-a?k!F?k!, where a?k!.noteq.0 and preferably a?k!=1. The page S?k! is recorded with a reference beam R?k!, while S?k+n! is recorded with a reference beam R?k+n! orthogonal to R?k!. The basis page is reset whenever the average intensity of a page to be stored exceeds a predetermined threshold. An image F'?k! is retrieved by reading basis page S?k! and letting F'?k!=S?k!. Subsequent images F'?k+n! are retrieved as S?k+n!+b?k!S?k!, where b?k!.noteq.0 and preferably b?k!=a?k!=1. The page addition step is performed coherently, i.e. by accessing the medium with a reference wave function R?k+n!+b?k!R?k!.

Abstract: A method of choosing an angle between a reference beam and a signal beam in a holographic storage apparatus is presented. The angle between the reference and signal beams can be optimized in light of crosstalk, scattering and wavelength seperation considerations.

Abstract: Partially overlapping holograms are stored in a cylindrical volume holographic storage medium capable of rotation about and translation along its longitudinal axis. The reference and signal beams are mutually perpendicular, and each is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. An index-matched housing encloses the medium laterally. An optional helically-varying optical axis (c-axis) orientation allows recording at constant angular intervals over a full revolution. Signals from stored pages are used to dynamically adjust the positioning of the medium relative to the light beams as the medium continuously spins at high velocity, and to control the access of the signal beam to the readout camera.

Abstract: Signal processing methods for addressing intersymbol interference in page-access optical memories such as holographic or two photon systems are disclosed. The invention takes advantage of the cartesian arrangement of data in page-access optical memories. A detector using the Viterbi algorithm is used to decode data row by row. Decision feedback is used in the direction perpendicular to the Viterbi direction. The use of data from previously decoded rows allows a reduction in the complexity of the Viterbi detector.

Abstract: Ionic and impurity concentrations in a photorefractive holographic storage medium are optimized such that electronic and ionic Debye numbers match an expected grating wave number K, at fixing and recording temperatures, respectively. Simultaneous and sequential recording and fixing are evaluated. The photovoltaic effect is reduced, subject to response time and absorption constraints, by matching reduced and oxidized impurity concentrations.

Abstract: A hologram with a dynamically controlled diffraction efficiency and enhanced signal-to-noise ratio is recorded in ferroelectric photorefractive materials, such as strontium barium niobate (Sr.sub.x Ba.sub.1-x Nb.sub.2 O.sub.6) (SBN), BSTN, SCNN, PBN, BSKNN, BaTiO.sub.3, LiNbO.sub.3, KNbO.sub.3, KTN, PLZT and the tungsten bronze family. The diffraction efficiency of the hologram is dynamically controlled by applying an electric field along the polar axis of the ferroelectric photorefractive recording medium. Electrically controlled diffraction is used in conjunction with hologram fixing and operation of the material at a temperature in the vicinity of or above its Curie temperature to additionally provide prolonged, low-noise readout. The general methods for recording and reconstructing a hologram (or a set of multiplexed holograms) using these techniques is disclosed.

Abstract: Rare earth doped ferroelectric materials are disclosed as reversible holographic recording medium (25) for use in two-photon recording systems. Such rare earth elements provide long-lived electronic states intermediate the ferroelectric material's valence and conduction bands. In some cases, these rare earth intermediate states have a sufficiently long life that low-power continuous wave ("cw") lasers (1) can be used to record interference patterns on them. Thus, two-photon holographic recording systems are also disclosed which do not require high-power, short pulse length, mode-locked or Q-switched lasers. Rather, the disclosed holographic recording systems employ cw lasers such as diode lasers. The rare earth dopants include praseodymium, neodymium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, and thulium. These dopants provide ions having 4f excited states that give rise to absorptions in the near infra-red and visible spectral regions and typically have lifetimes on the order of 0.1 to 1 milliseconds.

Abstract: A dynamic multiple-wavelength filter which selects at least one wavelength from a beam of radiation incident on a Stratified volume Holographic Optical Element (SVHOE) in accordance with the Bragg condition. The SVHOE has a number n of grating layers i and a hologram of a grating vector K.sup.i is recorded in each grating layer i. A number n-1 of buffer layers are interposed between grating layers i such that the layers SVHOE presents an alternating structure of grating and buffer layers. The filter has a diffraction efficiency control, preferably based on the ECD effect, for selectively varying the diffraction efficiency .eta. in at least one grating layer i to select from the beam of radiation a narrow bandwidth centered about Bragg wavelength .lambda..sub.B.sup.i of grating layer i.