Holographic data storage in photorefractive polymers

Abstract

Holographic data storage offers the potential of extremely high storage densities and high data transfer rates. The search for read-write storage systems based on the photorefractive (PR) effect has been limited by the availability of materials that combine good optical quality, high sensitivity and index modulation, long dark lifetime and/or viable fixing mechanisms. Organic photorefractive materials have been the subject of great interest during the past several years, but experiments involving practical data storage schemes have not been reported. This paper describes the results of recent investigations into high-density digital data storage in photorefractive polymer materials.