Erasable Holographic Optical Storage

The ability to store digital, high resolution images at high speeds (10 kHz and higher) has tremendous commercial applications. To meet this need North Dancer Labs proposes to develop a unique high-speed Erasable Holographic Optical Storage system (E-HOS) capable of recording ~100 or more 2-D images with at least 1K X 1K resolution at a 10kHz repetition rate (or higher) which can then be digitized and archived at standard video rates. E-HOS will store high resolution images a Fourier holograms in a disk format utilizing an erasable recording material. Two new materials which will be ideal candidates are Spiropyran-doped polymer and bacteriorhodopsin. Both of these materials are recently developed, high resolution, erasable holographic recording materials which do not require processing. The E-HOS system will consist of an innovative high speed holographic optical disk recorder using a pulsed copper vapor laser system capable of delivering up to 30 kHz illumination pulses/sec. After acquiring the image data to the holographic disk, a high resolution CCD and computer will digitize and store the data at standard video rates. The disk is then erased and the system is ready to collect another set of images in minutes. This E-HOS system will provide DoD with the ability to digitally record high speed transient events. During Phase I, North Dancer Labs will demonstrate the feasibility of developing E-HOS, utilizing an erasable holographic recording material, and establish a design and system specification to be implemented during Phase II.