Neimule Menke

Polarization patterns hide and display using photoinduced anisotropy of photochromic fulgide

Photoinduced anisotropy of a photochromic pyrrylfulgide/PMMA film was investigated by using two linearly polarized beams. Excitation by linearly polarized light induces into the film an optical axis that has the same polarization as the excitation beam. This causes a change of the transmittance and of the polarization state of the detection beam. With a microscope a matrix of 4x4 light spots with different polarizations were recorded in the pyrrylfulgide/PMMA film. If readout with non-polarized light, the matrix of light spots show no information pattern. However, when readout with differently polarized lights, different patterns can be displayed. The experiment demonstrates that pyrrylfulgide/PMMA films can be used to hide two differently polarized patterns, which may be applied in camouflage technology.

Polarization holographic high-density optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin film

Optical films containing the genetic variant bacteriorhodopsin BR-D96N were experimentally studied in view of their properties as media for holographic storage. Different polarization recording schemes were tested and compared. The influence of the polarization states of the recording and readout waves on the retrieved diffractive images intensity and its signal-to-noise ratio were analyzed. The experimental results showed that, compared with the other tested polarization relations during holographic recording, the discrimination between the polarization states of diffracted and scattered light is optimized with orthogonal circular polarization of the recording beams, and thus a high signal-to-noise ratio and a high diffraction efficiency are obtained. Using a He-Ne laser (633 nm, 3 mW) for recording and readout, a spatial light modulator as a data input element, and a 2D-CCD sensor for data capture in a Fourier transform holographic setup, a storage density of 2 x 10(8) bits/cm2 was obtained on a 60 x 42 microm2 area in the BR-D96N film. The readout of encoded binary data was possible with a zero-error rate at the tested storage density.

Polarization multiplexed write-once-read-many optical data storage in bacteriorhodopsin films

In polymeric films of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) a photoconversion product, which was named the F620 state, was observed on excitation of the film with 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. This photoproduct shows a strong nonlinear absorption. Such BR films can be used for write-once-read-many (WORM) optical data storage. We demonstrate that a photoproduct similar or even identical to that obtained with nanosecond pulses is generated on excitation with 532 nm femtosecond pulses. This photoproduct also shows strong anisotropic absorption, which facilitates polarization storage of data. The product is thermally stable and is irretrievable to the initial B state either by photochemical reaction or through a thermal pathway. The experimental results indicate that the product is formed by a two-photon absorption process. Optical WORM storage is demonstrated by use of two polarization states, but more polarization states may be used. The combination of polarization data multiplexing and extremely short recording time in the femtosecond range enables very high data volumes to be stored within a very short time.

Optical image processing using the photoinduced anisotropy of pyrrylfulgide

A synthesized photochromic compound-pyrrylfulgide--is prepared as a thin film doped in a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix. Under irradiation by UV light, the film converts from the bleached state into a colored state that has a maximum absorption at 635 nm and is thermally stable at room temperature. When the colored state is irradiated by a linearly polarized 650 nm laser, the film returns to the bleached state; photoinduced anisotropy is produced during this process. Application of optical image processing methods using the photoinduced anisotropy of the pyrrylfulgide/PMMA film is described. Examples in non-Fourier optical image processing, such as contrast reversal and image subtraction and summation, as well as in Fourier optical image processing, such as low-pass filtering and edge enhancement, are presented.

Optical Properties and Applications of Photochromic Fulgides

ABSTRACT The optical properties and potential applications of four kinds of fulgide and fulgimide were studied. A parallel optical storage apparatus was set up, which could reach the area density of 4.8 × 107 bits/cm2 on the fulgide/PMMA film. Fourier transform orthogonal circular polarization holographic data storage was performed with high signal-to-noise-ratio reconstruction image, which obtained the storage density of 2 × 108 bits/cm2 for single hologram. Two-photon induced micro-patterns were recorded on the fulgimide/PMMA film with 800 nm, 100 fs, 1 KHz, 50 mW femtosecond laser. Dual-wavelength (650 nm and 488 nm) optical images storage were tested on a two-color mixing fulgides/PMMA film.

Polarization holograms recording in photochromic diarylethenes polymeric film

A diarylethene derivative, 1,2-bis[2-methyl-5-(3-fluorophenyl)-3-thienyl] perfluorocylcopentene, is synthesized and dispersed into PMMA to prepare a polymeric film. The film shows good color recycling between switching of irradiation of UV light and red light. Under the excitation of linear polarized light, an apparent characteristic of photoinduced anisotropy is observed in the diarylethene/PMMA film, which implies polarization modulation gratings can be recorded in this holographic medium apart from recording of intensity modulation gratings. We experimentally make a comparison among four types of polorization holograms recording for their reconstruction images, which shows that the orthogonal circular polarization hologram has both high signal-to-noise ratio and high diffraction efficiency. Based on the polarization gratings scheme, we demonstrate the polarization multiplexing holograms reocording and retrieval in the diarylethene/PMMA film and the combination with the angular multiplexing scheme.

Spectral relationship of photoinduced refractive index and absorption changes in fulgide films

Fulgides are one kind of organic photochromic compound, which are famous for their thermal irreversibility. In this report, from the difference spectra of the absorption ΔA(λ) of one kind of pyrrylfulgide, the spectral refractive index change Δn(λ) was calculated by the Kramers–Kronig relation (KKR), and a good correlation of theoretically derived values and the experimental values of the Δn measured by a modified Michelson interferometer was found. Further, it is demonstrated that it was possible to calculate the spectral dependence of diffraction efficiency from the easily accessible absorption changes. This method will be a useful tool for the characterization and optimization of fulgide films. The results show that the diffraction efficiency is high at 488 and 750 nm, where the absorption is very small, so we can realize non-destructive reconstruction.

Experimental study of optical storage characteristics of photochromic material: pyrrylfulgide

Optical data storage is a frontier in the information science. Currently, there are mainly two kinds of storage materials, i.e., thermal-optic and photonic materials. The storage methods are divided into serial and parallel modes. In the market, the mature technique is CD-RW, which uses the thermal-optic material and serial method. The storage density of the CD-RW is restricted by the size of material particles, the conduction of heat, etc. Besides, the recording speed is seriously limited by the process of heating. Photonic materials and parallel method will be the trend in the optical data storage. Because it is based on the photon reaction on the molecule scale, the storage density and speed will be greatly increased. In this paper, a new kind of organic photochromic material -- pyrrylfulgide was studied. A parallel optical data storage system was established. Using the pyrrylfulgide/PMMA film as a recording medium, micro-images and binary digital information could be recorded, readout and erased in this parallel system. The recorded information on the film can be kept for at least 8 months in dark at room temperature. So far, the storage density is 3 x 107 bit/cm2.

A synthetic aperture telescope based on a pair of gratings

A synthetic aperture is an effective approach to enhancement of the resolution of telescopes. In this paper, a new method to improve the resolution by using a pair of gratings is proposed. It allows collection of parts of the light diffracted from the object which could not previously reach the imaging device. This method improves the resolution and light energy utilization ratio of telescopes without introducing new chromatic aberration. An experiment for resolution testing was carried out and the feasibility and availability of the method were verified.

Polarization Holography in 3-Indoly-Benzylfulgimide/PMMA Film

The photochromic and photoanisotropic properties of materials can be used in ordinary and polarization holographic recording respectively. Fulgides are well known as thermally irreversible organic photochromic compounds. And it is found that there exists photoinduced anisotropy in fulgide-doped polymeric films. In this report, a 3-indoly-benzylfulgimide/PMMA film was studied as a holographic storage media. First, the spectra and dynamics of photochromic and photoanisotropic properties of the sample are measured or calculated. Second, the diffraction efficiency (DE) dynamics at 633 nm of four kinds of different polarization holograms recorded in this sample are measured. The maximum DE value about 1% was gotten. Third, the DE spectra and DE dynamics are theoretically calculated in detail, and a good correlation of theoretically derived DE dynamic curves and the measured experimental curves was found. From the DE spectra, it is known that at the wavelengths less than 450 nm or greater than 700 nm, the nondestructive reading can be realized. The DWPS obtained in the experiments are same with the theortically deduced ones, which shows that in the orthogonal polarization holography, the polarization state of the diffracted light is orthogonal to that of the reconstruction light, which is very important to increase the SNR of the holographic storage. And all these results are applied and proved to be correct in high-density holographic image storage experiment. The area density of bits/cm2 was obtained, and the encoded data was retrieved without error.