Holography apparatus, method and product

Apparatus for producing a holographic pattern, said apparatus comprising:

• a laser generating a laser beam;
• means for dividing the laser beam into separate laser beam portions;
• means for utilizing said laser beam portions to illuminate a workpiece with an interference pattern by controlling the angular position of a mirror, thereby deflecting at least one of said separate laser beam portions so as to converge with the remaining laser beam portions at said workpiece with an adjustable included angle therebetween, said illumination being sufficiently powerful to ablate said workpiece where illuminated by said interference pattern;
• and
• means for producing relative movement between said laser beam portions and said interference pattern.

A method of producing a holographic pattern, the method comprising:

• illuminating a workpiece with a laser beam having separate portions interfering at a prescribed location on the workpiece, forming thereby an interference pattern on the workpiece and sufficient power to ablate the workpiece;
• adjusting the included angle between the separate portions of the laser beam by controlling the angular position of a mirror, thereby deflecting at least one of the separate portions of the laser beam;
• and
• producing relative movement between said laser beam and said interference pattern.

An apparatus for producing a holographic pattern in a workpiece, the apparatus comprising:

• a laser generating a laser beam having sufficient power to ablate the workpiece;
• an interferometer dividing the laser beam into separate portions wherein the separate portions interfere at a prescribed location on the workpiece, forming thereby an interference pattern on the workpiece;
• the interferometer including a deflector for deflecting at least one of the separate laser beam portions;
• a control system controlling the angular position of the deflector thereby changing the included angle between the separate portions of the laser beam and directing the relative movement between the workpiece and the separate portions of the laser beam in coordination with the generation of the laser beam.