Optical data storage photorefractive effect

The photorefractive effect used in rewritable 3D optical data storage is based on nonuniform space-charge distribution produced by interfering beams... 

We have prepared multi-component photorefractive polymers for optical data storage applications (8). This photorefractivity is a combination of two functionalities electro-optic effect and photoconductivity. We have achieved holographic diffraction efficiencies up to >30% in our composites. 

To overcome volatility problems, two-photon absorption (TPA) is the most promising long-term data storage technique to date. TPA can be observed in all materials and lacks the noncentrosymmetric symmetry requirements of even-order nonlinear optical effects. Nevertheless, in centrosymmetric polymers two-photon absorption is allowed between states that have the same parity according to parity selection rules (112). Such a system has been demonstrated with nondestructive readout (113). Additionally, use of two-photon absorption on photorefractive polymer dispersed liquid crystals has been used to record a high 3D data density of 204.8 Gbits/cm (158). 

Optical Devices. Of most interest in this application are those studies related to the nonlinear optical effects in polyphosphazene derivatives bearing aromatic azo imits (217-219) and the photorefractive effect with pol5q)hosp-hazenes bearing carbazolyl substituents (220). Possible applications include optical switches, frequency doublers for lasers, holographic data storage, and real-time image processing. 

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