Abstract: A shredder that shreds a recording medium which includes, on a surface thereof, an image forming portion and a holographic memory portion in which data is recorded. The shredder includes a data destroying unit that destroys at least the data recorded in the holographic memory portion and a shredding unit that shreds the entire recording medium. Thus, when a recording medium to which has been added a holographic memory portion in which useful information is recorded is to be discarded, the data(information) recorded in the holographic memory portion can be safely destroyed so that the data can no longer be read.

Abstract: Laser light output from a laser light source is irradiated onto a transmission-type scale. Due to movement of the transmission-type scale, a polarization angle of transmitted light varies in accordance with variations in orientations of half-wave plates arrayed in a longitudinal direction. It is difficult for the polarization angle to be affected by noise factors such as external light or the like. Light intensity of a polarized light component, which is transmitted through an analyzer and detected at a photo-detector, varies in accordance with the polarization angle. Thus, the light intensity varies as the transmission-type scale moves, and a detection signal is output to a movement amount computing device. When an amount of movement is computed on the basis of the signal, the exact amount of movement can be detected.

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: In the disclosed holographic recording method, when multiplex recording of data of a plurality of pages is performed, exposure time of a hologram of a final page to be recorded is fixed irrespective of a degree of multiplicity while an exposure time of each page is changed and diffraction efficiencies of the holograms of the plurality of pages becomes equal.

Abstract: Information recorded as a hologram in a predetermined position of an optical recording medium is reproduced, and subsequently the reproduced information is re-recorded and retained in the same position as the predetermined position as a hologram. Alternatively, information recorded as a hologram in a predetermined position of an optical recording medium is reproduced, and subsequently the reproduced information is re-recorded and retained in a position different from the predetermined position as a hologram easily.

Abstract: A holographic recording method and a holographic recording apparatus capable of selectively rewriting or erasing only desired data without degrading data other than the desired data are provided. Holograms are multiple recorded per file, and page data in one file is multiple recorded, while page data in one file and page data in another file are not multiple recorded. Therefore, only the desired file can be selectively rewritten or erased without degrading the other files.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a hologram erasing method, in which a predetermined hologram is erased by irradiating a predetermined region of a hologram recording medium in which the hologram to be erased is recorded with a reference light beam and a signal light beam holding a random data pattern at the same time. In this method, the signal light beam and the reference light beam interfere with each other in the medium, and a Fourier transform hologram recorded in the region where the interference occurs is destroyed and erased by interference light beam. That is, a data page for erasing including a random pattern is overwritten to erase an original data page. According to the present invention, the hologram recorded in the optical recording medium can be selectively and completely erased in a simple method.

Abstract: A hologram is recorded by irradiating, with a reference light beam, a region corresponding to an intensity distribution of a signal light beam on an optical recording medium. For example, the reference light beam having the intensity distribution which substantially coincides with the intensity distribution of the signal light beam is generated, and only the region which substantially coincides with the region irradiated by the signal light beam (i.e., the signal light beam defocused region) is irradiated with the reference light beam. This enables only the necessary region to be exposed and the regions which need not be exposed not to be exposed. Accordingly, the hologram can be recorded without losing information of the signal light beam and thus high-density recording can be realized.

Abstract: Laser light emitted from a laser light source is irradiated onto a transmission-type scale, and is diffracted by a polarization hologram recorded on the transmission-type scale. Only polarization directions of ±1-order diffracted lights, among diffracted lights, are rotated by 90°. The ±1-order diffracted lights interfere with one another such that interference fringes are formed on a light-receiving surface of a photo-detector. Interference light of the ±1-order diffracted lights is transmitted through a polarizing plate. A portion of transmitted light is passed through respective slits of a slit plate and is irradiated onto the photo-detector, and intensity of irradiated light is detected. On the other hand, 0-order diffracted light, ±2-order diffracted lights, and the like, whose polarization directions are not rotated, cannot pass through the polarizing plate, and are blocked before being detected at the photo-detector.

Abstract: Quality of a reproduced light beam is improved, and rewriting and recording are performed at high speed without erasing data. Each page of a hologram is newly recorded so that the maximum point of diffraction light beam intensity in reproducing the newly recorded hologram is located at a position where diffraction light beam intensity from a data page of a hologram which has been previously recorded in a hologram recording medium is minimized at the time of reproducing the data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an optical recording medium. In the method, on the surface of a recording layer formed by spin-coating a first coating solution containing a photo-isomerizable component, a second coating solution that contains a photo-isomerizable component that can be isomerized by radiation having the same wavelength as radiation used for isomerizing the photo-isomerizable component contained in the recording layer and incapable of dissolving the recording layer is spin-coated to form an intermediate layer. Since the intermediate layer thus formed cannot be dissolved by the first coating solution, a recording layer is further laminated on this layer. Thus, it becomes possible to make the recording layer thicker and also to provide a high-density recording characteristic.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus having excellent resistance against vibration and noise is provided. In recording, coherent light is polarization-modulated with a spatial light modulator to generate signal light and reference light whose polarization directions are crossed at right angles with each other. The signal light permeates a polarizing beam splitter, and is incident to a quarter wavelength plate. The reference light passes through a passing hole, is diffused by a light diffuser and is incident to the quarter wavelength plate. The reference and signal light are converted into circularly polarized light which revolve in directions opposite to each other and condensed by a condenser lens, and then a predetermined area of an optical recording medium is irradiated with the reference and signal light. Thus, the reference and signal light are generated by modulating the incident light from the same light source and are coaxially incident to the polarizing beam splitter.

Abstract: In a recording layer, a recording track is provided in the form of concentric circles or a spiral along a moving direction of a recording spot. When only specific Fourier transform components in a Fourier transform image of signal light are recorded, a width of the recording track provided in the recording layer is set corresponding to a diffraction order of the Fourier transform component to be recorded. That is to say, according to the diffraction order of the Fourier transform component to be recorded, the width of the recording track is determined within the range satisfying the following relationship. Here w is the width of the recording track, d is a length of one side of one-bit data of the signal light, &lgr; is a wavelength of the signal light, F is a focal distance of a lens system, and n is an integer of 2, 3, or 4.

Abstract: An optical recording medium including a recording layer which is formed into a predetermined shape with a thickness of 0.1 mm to 5 mm and which contains a polyester represented by the following formula (1).

Abstract: In the present invention, a photosensitive layer of an optical recording medium includes a photo-responsive high-molecular compound comprising a photo-responsive group (e.g., an azobenzene derivative) which is geometrically isomerized by light radiation, and a liquid crystal linear mesogen group (e.g., a biphenyl derivative), wherein the photo-responsive group and the linear mesogen group are respectively bonded as side chains. The invention provides an optical recording medium enabling large scale recording by making the photosensitive layer thick without impairing recording characteristics. The photo-responsive high-molecular compound preferably comprises an aromatic ring on a main chain. Further, the photo-responsive high-molecular compound preferably comprises a structural unit which is capable of forming a liquid-crystalline or crystalline polymer and a structural unit which is capable of forming an amorphous polymer.

Abstract: Laser light output from a laser light source is irradiated onto a transmission-type scale. Due to movement of the transmission-type scale, a polarization angle of transmitted light varies in accordance with variations in orientations of half-wave plates arrayed in a longitudinal direction. It is difficult for the polarization angle to be affected by noise factors such as external light or the like. Light intensity of a polarized light component, which is transmitted through an analyzer and detected at a photo-detector, varies in accordance with the polarization angle. Thus, the light intensity varies as the transmission-type scale moves, and a detection signal is output to a movement amount computing device. When an amount of movement is computed on the basis of the signal, the exact amount of movement can be detected.

Abstract: Laser light emitted from a laser light source is irradiated onto a transmission-type scale, and is diffracted by a polarization hologram recorded on the transmission-type scale. Only polarization directions of ±1-order diffracted lights, among diffracted lights, are rotated by 90°. The ±1-order diffracted lights interfere with one another such that interference fringes are formed on a light-receiving surface of a photo-detector. Interference light of the ±1-order diffracted lights is transmitted through a polarizing plate. A portion of transmitted light is passed through respective slits of a slit plate and is irradiated onto the photo-detector, and intensity of irradiated light is detected. On the other hand, 0-order diffracted light, ±2-order diffracted lights, and the like, whose polarization directions are not rotated, cannot pass through the polarizing plate, and are blocked before being detected at the photo-detector.

Abstract: An electrophotographic color toner containing at least a coloring agent, a binder resin, and light-color or colorless fine particles, wherein toner particles containing particles having particle sizes of at least 1.0 &mgr;m as said fine particles are not more than half of the total toner particles. The electrophotographic color toner has a broad fixable temperature region of the toner and does not cause an image deterioration by preventing the occurrence of the penetration phenomenon into a paper while keeping a high image quality and high coloring even by using paper other than a paper for color copy without deteriorating various characteristics of a toner of prior art.

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: An electrophotographic color toner containing at least a coloring agent, a binder resin, and light-color or colorless fine particles, wherein toner particles containing particles having particle sizes of at least 1.0 &mgr;m as said fine particles are not more than half of the total toner particles. The electrophotographic color toner has a broad fixable temperature region of the toner and does not cause an image deterioration by preventing the occurrence of the penetration phenomenon into a paper while keeping a high image quality and high coloring even by using paper other than a paper for color copy without deteriorating various characteristics of a toner of prior art.