System for making a hologram of an image

A method of converting an image into a hologram, the method comprising:

• obtaining pixel data for a copied image;
• splitting a laser beam having a coherence length suitable for forming holograms into a reference beam and at least one of object beam;
• directing the reference beam and the at least one object beam along different pathways, the difference in the pathways having a length less than the coherence length of the laser beam;
• and
• modulating the at least one object beam in accordance with the pixel data wherein the at least one object beam is coincident with the reference beam on a profileable surface at different angles with respect to the profileable surface for each pixel forming thereby the pattern of diffraction gratings.

An apparatus for converting an image into a hologram, the apparatus comprising:

• means for processing a set of data regarding a copied image, the set of data assigned to a selected pixel of a set of pixels which are located in a coordinate system and representative of the image;
• a radiation source configured to generate a laser beam having a coherence length suitable for forming a hologram;
• an optical system arranged to split and direct the laser beam into a reference beam and at least one object beam along separate pathways so as to interfere at a prescribed location on a profitable surface coincident with the selected pixel, the path difference having a length within the coherence length of the laser beam;
• and
• a controller controlling, in accordance with the set of data assigned to the selected pixel, the interference of the reference beam and the at least one object beam.

An apparatus for converting image into a hologram formed from diffraction gratings based upon pixels representative of the image, the apparatus comprising:

• a laser source configured to generate a laser beam with a coherence length suitable for forming a hologram;
• a focusing lens assembly;
• a main shutter arranged to control the laser beam;
• optical means for splitting the laser beam into a reference beam and at least one of object beam thereby directing the reference beam and the at least one object beam along different pathways so that each object beam is coincident upon a profileable surface with the reference beam at different angles, and for modulating the object beams so that each object beam is coincident upon the profileable surface with the reference beam in a predetermined sequence;
• an isolation bench to support the apparatus;
• a support mounted on the isolation bench and arranged to support the focusing lens assembly and the optical means;
• a first stepper motor for moving the profileable surface in a prescribed coordinate system;
• a second stepper motor for rotating the optical means;
• data processing means for providing data for each pixel constituting the image;
• means for correlating the pixel data to the operation of the main shutter, the optical means and the first and second stepper motors;
• and
• means for monitoring the hologram as it is generated.

A method of converting an image into a hologram formed from diffraction gratings, the method comprising:

• obtaining pixel data from a copied image;
• splitting a laser beam having a coherence length suitable for forming holograms into a reference beam and at least one object beam;
• directing the reference beam along different pathways, each pathway having a length within the coherence length;
• altering the pathway of the at least one object beam so that the at least one object beam is coincident on a profileable surface at a plurality of different angles, wherein the object beam interferes with the reference beam on the profileable surface to form diffraction gratings for each pixel.

An apparatus for converting image data into a hologram formed on a profileable surface from diffraction gratings based upon pixels representative of the image, the apparatus comprising;

• means for processing image data for each pixel representing a copied image;
• a laser source configured to generate a beam with a coherence length suitable for forming a hologram;
• an optical system arranged to split and direct the laser beam into a reference beam and at least one object beam along pathways having a length within the range of the coherence length;
• means for causing relative movement between the profileable surface and the laser beam;
• and
• a controller comprising means for controlling the radiation of the profileable surface on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for converting an image into a hologram, the program code including instructions for causing the computer system to implement a method comprising:

• receiving a set of data regarding a copied image;
• assigning the set of data to a selected pixel of a set of pixels which are located within a coordinate system and representative of the image;
• splitting a laser beam into a reference beam and at least one object beam;
• directing the reference beam and the at least one object beam along separate paths so as to interfere at a prescribed location on a profileable surface;
• wherein each object beam of the at least on object beam subtends a different angle with respect to the profileable surface;
• wherein the prescribed location on the profileable surface coincides with the selected pixel;
• and
• in accordance with the set of data assigned to the selected pixel, controlling the interference of the reference beam and the at least one object beam.

A method of converting an image into a hologram formed from diffraction gratings the method compromising:

• obtaining data regarding the image according to a coordinate system to derive position data and corresponding image data for each pixel of a plurality of pixels representing the image;
• directing a beam from a laser having a predetermined coherence length onto a photosensitive surface in a sequence corresponding to pixel position data representing the image so as to react with the photosensitive surface forming diffraction gratings, the step of directing including:
• splitting the laser beam into a plurality of beam parts;
• directing a first beam part of the laser beam as a reference beam to the photosensitive surface along a first pathway;
• directing others of the plurality of beam parts along a plurality of other pathways, each of the other pathways being a length within a range defined by the coherence length of the laser;
• modulating the plurality of beam parts in accordance with the data for a selected pixel so that the others of the plurality of beam parts are modulated separately from the first beam part, modulation of the others of the beam parts being based on image data for the selected pixel, wherein the others of the beam parts are coincidence with the first beam part on the photosensitive surface at different angles with respect to the photosensitive surface for a selected pixel;
• and
• serially moving the photosensitive surface with respect to the laser beam so as to redirect the laser beam to a pixel location successive to the selected pixel location on the photosensitive surface in correspondence to the coordinate system.

A method of converting an image into a hologram, the method comprising:

• receiving a set of data regarding a copied image;
• assigning the set of data to a selected pixel of a set of pixels which are located within a coordinate system and representative of the image;
• splitting a laser beam into a reference beam and at least one object beam;
• directing the reference beam and the at least one object beam along separate paths so as to interfere at a prescribed location on a surface;
• wherein each object beam of the at least on object beam subtends a different angle with respect to the surface;
• wherein the prescribed location on the surface coincides with the selected pixel;
• and
• in accordance with the set of data assigned to the selected pixel, controlling the interference of the reference beam and the at least one object beam.