NASA 1996 SBIR Phase I

PROJECT TITLE : PHOTOREFRACTIVE POLYMER-BASED HOLOGRAPHIC DATA STORAGE TECHNOLOGY

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)

Photorefractive materials promise to enable dynamic holography and erasable high density data storage for future information technologies. This program will develop and demonstrate a holographic data storage technology using novel photorefractive polymers with electrooptic (EO) coefficients and bandwidths that are significantly superior than LiNbO3. A important advantage of these polymers is that large refractive index odulations can be reversibly generated in them with low power laser beams. Polymer composites based on poly(N-vinylcarbazole) have recently show excellent PR performance. However, the composites in their natural form lack long-time storage capabilities due to their low glass transition temperatures. This program innovatively overcomes this limitation by engineering highly cross-linked, permanently poled PR polymers. Such a breakthrough will enable relatively low cost, long life holographic data storage technology. The program's technical approach is to orient acrylated EO chromophores in the liquid phase at room temperature with an electric field and to cross-link the material with electron radiation in a vacuum environment. The proposed method promises to be superior to previous approaches to permanently poled PR polymers and will enable the fabrication of materials with low weight, excellent mechanical properties, strong polar orientation and superior thermal aging characteristics. During Phase I, we will establish proof-of-concept of the holographic data technology in the photorefractive polymers; during Phase II material and product performance will be optimized and extensively tested.

The technology to be developed and commercialized during this program is expected to play a key role in a variety of optical information processing applications; e.g. dynamic holography, erasable high density data storage, parallel signal/image processing, phase conjugation, pattern recognition, optical interconnects and others.

Dr. Scott R. Lyon,
Sigma Labs Inc.,
10960 N. Stallard Place,
Tucson, AZ 85737

Sigma Labs Inc.,
10960 N. Stallard Place,
Tucson, AZ 85737