Abstract

Holographie data storage (HDS) systems having capacities in the Terabytes and data transfer rates exceeding Gbit/s appear to be feasible. An all solid-state device could be rugged and compact for use in airborne and other demanding environments. But can its potential be realized? In this tutorial we discuss physical principles on which HDS is based, including the photorefractive effect, materials issues, and optical architectures suitable for HDS, with emphasis on wavelength, angular, phase encoding and field multiplexing techniques. The aim is to highlight potential capabilities, to discuss the current state-of-the-art in HDS and what performance could be possible with further research and development in the next few years. The basic principles are illustrated with discussion of a demonstration device; the interplay between materials properties and device performance is highlighted, and both practical and fundamental issues are considered.

© 1994 Optical Society of America