Holographic storage device having an adjustment mechanism for a reference beam

#In compliance with 37 C.F.R. §1.71(g) (1), disclosure is herein made that the inventions described and claimed herein were made pursuant to a Joint Research Agreement as defined in 35 U.S.C. 103 (c) (3), that was in effect on or before the date the inventions were made, and as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of the Joint Research Agreement, by or on the behalf of Hitachi, Ltd. and InPhase Technologies, Inc.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to holographic data storage devices, systems, articles, and methods for recording (storing) and/or reading (recovering) holographic data.

#The invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is schematic view illustrating data storage by a monocular holographic storage device or system using a moving reference beam lens to create an angularly multiplexed beam;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating dithering of the reference beam in the device or system of FIG. 1;

#It is advantageous to define several terms before describing the invention. It should be appreciated that the following definitions are used throughout this application.

#Where the definition of terms departs from the commonly used meaning of the term, applicant intends to utilize the definitions provided below, unless specifically indicated.

#For the purposes of the present invention, the term “coherent light beam” refers to a beam of light including waves with a particular (e.g., constant) phase relationship, such as, for example, a laser beam. A coherent light beam may also be referred to as light in which the phases of all electromagnetic waves at each point on a line normal to the direction of the light beam are identical.