Novel optical storage materials, methods of making the storage materials, and methods for storing and reading data
OwnerEugene Boden, Michael Mclaughlin +1inventors
InventorsEugene Boden, Michael Mclaughlin, Brian Lawrence
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Abstract
Holographic storage media including a polymeric binder, a photoactive monomer, a photo-initiator, and a stable organic or organometallic dye material are described. The dye may be covalently attached to the polymeric binder, the photoactive monomer, or both. Data may be written into the holographic storage media using light of one wavelength and read using light of a different or the same wavelength.
Claims25
A holographic storage medium comprising:
- a polymeric binder;
- a photoactive monomer;
- a photo-initiator;
- and
- a stable, organic or organometallic dye;
- wherein the dye is present in an amount sufficient to enhance the refractive index difference between a region of polymeric binder and a region of photopolymer.
A method for producing a holographic storage medium comprising:
- forming a substrate comprising a polymeric binder, a photoactive monomer, a photo-initiator, and a stable organic or organometallic dye;
- and
- writing data into the substrate with an information-carrying light pattern, at a wavelength suitable to activate the photo-initiator and to polymerize at least a portion of the photoactive monomer to form the holographic storage medium;
- wherein the dye is present in an amount sufficient to enhance the refractive index difference between a region of polymeric binder and a region of photopolymer.
A method for storing data in an optical storage medium comprising:
- forming a storage medium comprising a polymeric binder, a photoactive monomer, a photo-initiator, and a stable, organic or organometallic dye;
- and
- illuminating the storage medium with a signal beam possessing data and a reference beam simultaneously for storing a hologram of the data contained by the signal beam in the optical storage medium;
- wherein at least a portion of the photoactive monomer undergoes polymerization upon exposure to the signal beam, thereby forming a hologram in the storage medium;
- and
- wherein the dye is present in an amount sufficient to enhance the refractive index difference between a region of polymeric binder and a region of photopolymer.
An optical reading method comprising:
- forming a storage medium comprising a polymeric binder, a photoactive monomer, a photo-initiator, and a stable organic dye;
- illuminating the storage medium with a signal beam possessing data and a reference beam simultaneously for storing a hologram of the data contained by the signal beam in the optical storage medium, wherein at least a portion of the photoactive monomer undergoes polymerization upon exposure to the signal beam thereby forming a hologram in the storage medium;
- illuminating the holographic storage media with a read beam;
- and reading the data contained by diffracted light from the hologram;
- wherein the dye is present in an amount sufficient to enhance the refractive index difference between a region of polymeric binder and a region of photopolymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.