Document Type

Article

Rights

This item is available under a Creative Commons License for non-commercial use only

Disciplines

1.3 PHYSICAL SCIENCES, Condensed matter physics, Optics

Publication Details

Applied Optics, 48(14), 2642-2648.

Abstract

Holographic recording in thick photopolymer layers is important for application in holographic data storage, volume holographic filters and correlators. Here, the characteristics of acrylamidebased photopolymer layers having thickness from 250 μm to 1-mm were studied. For each layer thickness samples with three different values of absorbance were studied. By measuring both the first order diffraction efficiency growth of holographically recorded gratings and studying the diffraction patterns obtained, the influence of scattering on the diffraction efficiency of thick volume holographic gratings was analyzed. It was observed that above a particular thickness and absorbance, the first order diffraction efficiency significantly decreased because of increased holographic scattering. From the first order diffraction efficiency dependence on the samples absorbance and thickness it is possible to choose photopolymer layer properties that are suitable for a particular holographic application. This study was carried out in order to determine the highest layer thickness that could be used in phase code multiplexed holographic data storage system utilizing thick photopolymer layers as a recording medium.