Method for holographic storage

1. A method for recording information in a holographic data storage media, the method comprising:

irradiating a holographic data storage media that comprises a photoactive dye with an interference pattern, wherein the photoactive dye comprises a nitrone and wherein the media is capable of fixing an interference pattern within its volume to record holographic data; wherein the irradiation is conducted with electromagnetic energy having a wavelength of about 350 to about 1,100 nanometers; and

reacting the photoactive dye to fix the interference pattern in the holographic data storage media, wherein the reacted photoactive dye does not revert back to an original form of the dye by thermal or photochromic means; and

converting the reacted photoactive dye to a non-photochromic state, wherein the converting is induced by an electric field, or by light exposure of a photoacid generator, or by a combination of the foregoing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photoactive dye comprises a nitrone in an amount of about 0.1 to about 50 weight percent, based upon the total weight of the holographic data storage media.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrone is an aryl nitrone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrone has the structure

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrone comprises an aryl nitrone structure represented by the formula (XXXXVI):

wherein Z is (R 3 ) a -Q-R 4 — or R 5 —; Q is a monovalent, divalent or trivalent substituent or linking group; wherein each of R, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl or substituted alkyl radical containing 1 to about 8 carbon atoms or an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 13 carbon atoms; R 4 is an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 13 carbon atoms; R 5 is an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 20 carbon atoms which have substituents that contain hetero atoms, wherein the hetero atoms are at least one of oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur; R 6 is an aromatic hydrocarbon radical containing 6 to about 20 carbon atoms; X is a halo, cyano, nitro, aliphatic acyl, alkyl, substituted alkyl having 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, aryl having 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, carbalkoxy, or an electron withdrawing group in the ortho or para position selected from the group consisting of

where R 7 is an alkyl radical having 1 to about 8 carbon atoms; a is an amount of up to about 2; b is an amount of up to about 3; and n is up to about 4.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrone is selected from the group consisting of: α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone; α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-chlorophenyl)-nitrone, α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-nitrone, α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-carbethoxyphenyl)-nitrone, α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-acetylphenyl)-nitrone, α-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-N-(4-cyanophenyl)-nitrone, α-(4-methoxyphenyl)-N-(4-cyanophenyl)nitrone, α-(9-julolidinyl)-N-phenylnitrone, α-(9-julolidinyl)-N-(4-chlorophenyl)nitrone, α-[2-(1,1-diphenylethenyl)]-N-phenylnitrone, α-[2-(1-phenylpropenyl)]-N-phenyl nitrone, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing nitrones.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nitrone is an aryl nitrone and wherein the nitrone undergoes unimolecular cyclization to an oxaziridine upon exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the nitrone upon undergoing unimolecular cyclization have the structure (XXXXVII)

wherein Z is (R 3 ) a -Q-R 4 — or R 5 —; Q is a monovalent, divalent or trivalent substituent or linking group; wherein each of R, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is independently hydrogen, an alkyl or substituted alkyl radical containing 1 to about 8 carbon atoms or an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 13 carbon atoms; R 4 is an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 13 carbon atoms; R 5 is an aromatic radical containing 6 to about 20 carbon atoms which have substituents that contain hetero atoms, wherein the hetero atoms are at least one of oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur; R 6 is an aromatic hydrocarbon radical containing 6 to about 20 carbon atoms; X is a halo, cyano, nitro, aliphatic acyl, alkyl, substituted alkyl having 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, acyl having 6 to about 20 carbon atoms, carbalkoxy, or an electron withdrawing group in the ortho or para position selected from the group consisting of

where R 7 is an alkyl radical having 1 to about 8 carbon atoms; a is an amount of up to about 2; b is an amount of up to about 3; and n is up to about 4.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the aryl nitrone is α-(4-diethylaminophenyl)-N-phenylnitrone.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media comprises an optically transparent organic polymer.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the organic polymer is a thermoplastic polymer, a thermosetting polymer, or a combination of a thermoplastic polymer with a thermosetting polymer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyacrylate, a polymethacrylate, a polyester, a polyolefin, a polycarbonate, a polystyrene, a polyamideimide, a polyarylate, a polyarylsulfone, a polyethersulfone, a polyphenylene sulfide, a polysulfone, a polyimide, a polyetherimide, a polyetherketone, a polyether etherketone, a polyether ketone ketone, a polysiloxane, a polyurethane, a polyether, a polyether amide, a polyether ester, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermoplastic polymers.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermosetting polymer is an epoxy, a phenolic, a polysiloxane, a polyester, a polyurethane, a polyamide, a polyacrylate, a polymethacrylate, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing thermosetting polymers.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer or the thermosetting polymer is chemically attached to said photoactive dye.

15. The media of claim 14 , wherein the photoactive dye is part of a backbone of the thermoplastic polymer or the thermosetting polymer.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reacting results in a cyclization reaction.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the irradiation results in a conversion of an open isomer form to a closed isomer form.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the irradiation is conducted with electromagnetic energy having a first wavelength in a range of from about 400 to about 600 nanometers.