Compact architecture for holographic systems

A multifunctional holographic system, comprising:

• a holographic recording medium with a plurality of holograms therein, having a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface to receive and transmit light, said second surface and said third surface facing and opposing each other;
• a first lens disposed relative to said first surface, providing optical conduit to said recording medium via said first surface;
• a second lens disposed relative to said second surface, providing optical conduit to said recording medium via said second surface;
• a first optoelectronic integrated circuit, having a plurality of pixels to form a pixel array, each of said pixels capable of detecting light signals and modulating light beams operating to perform said modulating by using information from said detecting, said first integrated circuit being positioned relative to said first lens such that said first lens is between said first integrated circuit and said first surface of said recording medium;
• a second optoelectronic integrated circuit, substantially similar to said first integrated circuit in structure and function, being positioned relative to said second lens such that said first lens is between said second integrated circuit and said second surface of said recording medium;
• a signal beam generating means, operating to produce and couple an incident beam propagating to said first integrated circuit along the optic axis of said first lens, each of said pixels in said first integrated circuit modulating and reflecting said signal beam to generate a signal beam propagating towards said recording medium;
• a reference beam generating means, operating to produce a reference beam coherent with said signal beam, said reference beam propagating through said recording medium via said third surface and said second surface thereof;
• said signal beam and said reference beam interfering each other to record said holograms in said recording medium;
• and
• said second lens and said second integrated circuit being disposed relative to each other such that said reference beam is reflected back to produce a conjugate reference beam retracing said reference beam.

A method of forming an optical holographic system, comprising:

• providing a rewritable holographic recording medium;
• providing an optoelectronic device that has a plurality of pixels to form a pixel array, each of said pixels detecting and modulating light signals and being capable of using information from said detecting to control said modulating;
• integrating said optoelectronic device and said recording medium relative to each other;
• recording multiplexed holograms in said recording medium by using a modulated signal beam from said pixel array and a reference beam;
• and
• generating a conjugate readout beam that counterpropagates with respect to said reference beam, said readout beam diffracting from said multiplexed holograms to produce a conjugate reconstruction retracing said modulated signal beam to said pixel array.

A photonic device, comprising:

• an optoelectronic integrated circuit, having a plurality of pixels to form a pixel array on an interface thereof and a plurality of electrical terminals for both feeding information to said pixel array and exporting information from said pixel array, each of said plurality of pixels operable to emit and to detect light;
• a rewritable holographic recording medium, having a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface to provide optical conduits to said recording medium, said first surface and said optoelectronic integrated circuit being disposed relative to each other such that said pixels emit light beams into said recording medium and receive light beams from said recording medium, said second surface and said third surface opposing to each other;
• a laser, operating to produce an optical reference beam entering said recording medium via said second surface and having a phase relationship with said pixels in said optoelectronic integrated circuit;
• and
• a first optical beam steering element disposed on said second surface of said recording medium, operating to change the propagating direction of said optical reference beam that enters said recording medium through said first optical beam steering element and said second surface.