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US 7,480,085 B2Granted
Operational mode performance of a holographic memory system
AssigneeInPhase Technologies, Inc.
InventorsBrian S. Riley, Ian R. Redmond, Aaron Wegner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Aspects of the present invention are generally directed to a holographic system. Generally, aspects of the present invention are directed to allocating power of a light beam generated by a coherent light source among the various discrete light beams used in a holographic system. Specifically, a variable optical divider is incorporated into an optical steering subsystem of the holographic memory system to redirect the coherent light beam into one or more discrete light beams, and to dynamically allocate power of the coherent light beam among the discrete light beams.
Claims10
A holographic memory system comprising:
- a photosensitive holographic storage medium which holographically stores information;
- a source of a coherent light beam;
- and
- an optical steering subsystem for directing the coherent light beam to the holographic storage medium comprising:
- a variable optical divider comprising:
- at least one polarization device dynamically controllable to manipulate polarization of the coherent light beam to generate a polarized coherent light beam having a particular polarization;
- and
- at least one polarizing beam splitter which redirects the polarized coherent light beam into one or more discrete light beams and which dynamically allocates power of the polarized coherent light beam among the one or more discrete light beams based on the polarization of the polarized coherent light beam;
- wherein the one or more discrete light beams are a reference light beam, a data light beam or a reconstruction light beam;
- wherein the at least one polarizing beam splitter redirects and dynamically allocates the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reference light beam and the data light beam when the system is in a write operational mode;
- wherein the at least one polarizing beam splitter redirects and dynamically allocates the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reconstruction light beam when the system is in a read operational mode.
8 more elements
A method of operating a holographic memory system having a holographic recording medium which holographically stores information, the method comprising the following steps:
- generating a coherent light beam;
- dynamically controlling at least one polarization device to manipulate polarization of the coherent light beam to thereby generate a polarized coherent light beam having a particular polarization;
- using at least one polarizing beam splitter to redirect the polarized coherent light beam into one or more discrete light beams and to dynamically allocate power of the polarized coherent light beam among the one or more discrete light beams based on the polarization of the polarized coherent light beam;
- and
- directing the one or more discrete light beams to the holographic storage medium;
- wherein the one or more discrete light beams are a reference light beam, a data light beam or a reconstruction light beam;
- wherein the at least one polarizing beam splitter redirects and dynamically allocates the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reference light beam and the data light beam when the system is in a write operational mode;
- wherein the at least one polarizing beam splitter redirects and allocates dynamically the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reconstruction light beam when the system is in a read operational mode.
5 more elements
A holographic memory system comprising:
- a means for holographically storing information;
- a means of providing a coherent light beam;
- and
- an optical steering means for directing the coherent light beam to the means for holographically storing information, the optical steering means comprising:
- a variable optical divider having:
- means for dynamically manipulating polarization of the coherent light beam for generating a polarized coherent light beam having a particular polarization;
- and
- polarizing beam splitting means for redirecting the polarized coherent light beam into one or more discrete light beams and for dynamically allocating power of the polarized coherent light beam among the one or more discrete light beams based on the polarization of the polarized coherent light beam;
- wherein the one or more discrete light beams are a reference light beam, a data light beam or a reconstruction light beam;
- wherein the polarizing beam splitting means redirects and dynamically allocates the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reference light beam and the data light beam when the system is in a write operational mode;
- wherein the polarizing beam splitting means redirects and dynamically allocates the power of the polarized coherent light beam into the reconstruction light beam when the system is in a read operational mode.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.