Metal-ion doped polymers: holographic characterization, mechanisms, and applications

Polymer materials have made a significant impact on optical storage technology. They played a key role in developing high information density and last access type memories with high read-out efficiency. Metal ion doped polymer materials, one of the important classes of recording materials, are classified as ‘Write-Once-Read-Many Self- Developing (WORM-SD) memories”. Holographic characterization of Cr(VI) and Fe(m) doped synthetic polymers are outlined with a brief description about the widely used dichromated gelatin. The mechanism of information storage on these materials has been followed by various elegant techniques. Volume transmission holograms, reflection holograms, computer generated holograms, waveguides, narrow band wavelength selective filters, holographic multiplexing, holographic imaging and space based photonic applications are some of the demonstrated applications with these materials.