Plastic recording media for holography at 10.6 microm

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Holography traditionally requires specific recording media.
• The 10.6 micrometer wavelength of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers presents unique challenges for holographic recording materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and evaluate suitable recording media for holography using a CO2 laser.
• To assess the holographic performance of common materials like plastic films and acrylic plates at infrared wavelengths.

Main Methods:

• Holographic phase recording was performed using a 1-W single mode continuous-wave (cw) CO2 laser.
• Incident laser intensities of up to 3.5 W/cm(2) were utilized.
• Holographic reconstruction was attempted at both 632.8 nm and 10.6 micrometer wavelengths.

Main Results:

• Saran Wrap plastic films and thick acrylic plates were found to be suitable recording media.
• Diffraction efficiency reached up to 20% during reconstruction at 632.8 nm.
• Reconstruction at 10.6 micrometer via reflection on silver-coated acrylic yielded a 0.5% diffraction efficiency.
• Acrylic plates exhibited less linear recording characteristics compared to Saran Wrap films.

Conclusions:

• Saran Wrap and acrylic plates are viable, accessible materials for CO2 laser holography.
• Performance varies significantly with reconstruction wavelength and method.
• Further investigation into material linearity is warranted for optimized holographic applications.