Rewritable three-dimensional holographic data storage via optical forces

Journal Article · Mon Aug 08 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4960710· OSTI ID:22594338

Montelongo, Yunuen ^[1]; Butt, Haider ^[2]

---

1. Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)
2. Nanotechnology Laboratory, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom)

The development of nanostructures that can be reversibly arranged and assembled into 3D patterns may enable optical tunability. However, current dynamic recording materials such as photorefractive polymers cannot be used to store information permanently while also retaining configurability. Here, we describe the synthesis and optimization of a silver nanoparticle doped poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) recording medium for reversibly recording 3D holograms. We theoretically and experimentally demonstrate organizing nanoparticles into 3D assemblies in the recording medium using optical forces produced by the gradients of standing waves. The nanoparticles in the recording medium are organized by multiple nanosecond laser pulses to produce reconfigurable slanted multilayer structures. We demonstrate the capability of producing rewritable optical elements such as multilayer Bragg diffraction gratings, 1D photonic crystals, and 3D multiplexed optical gratings. We also show that 3D virtual holograms can be reversibly recorded. This recording strategy may have applications in reconfigurable optical elements, data storage devices, and dynamic holographic displays.

• OSTI ID: 22594338
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 6; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
BRAGG REFLECTION
CRYSTALS
DIFFRACTION GRATINGS
DOPED MATERIALS
HOLOGRAPHY
LASERS
LAYERS
MEMORY DEVICES
METHACRYLATES
METHACRYLIC ACID
NANOPARTICLES
NANOSTRUCTURES
OPTIMIZATION
POLYMERS
SILVER
STANDING WAVES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS