Bragg grating elements for optical devices

1. A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional Bragg grating element, the method comprising:

forming a first Bragg grating element using a pair of recording beams, the first Bragg grating element having a three-dimensional Bragg grating recorded therein; and

using a single recording beam to replicate the first Bragg grating element to form a second Bragg grating element having recorded therein a replica of the Bragg grating recorded in the first Bragg grating element.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

placing a virgin recording medium directly behind the first Bragg grating element; and

using the single recording beam to replicate the first Bragg grating to form the second Bragg grating in the virgin recording medium, thereby forming the second Bragg grating element.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the single recording beam interferes with a reconstructed object wave behind the first Brag grating to form the replica in the virgin recording medium.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first Bragg grating element comprises directing at least one of the pair of recording beams onto a first recording medium, the method further comprising:

directing the single recording beam onto the first Bragg grating element in the same fashion as the at least one of the pair of recording beams was directed onto the first Bragg grating element during the formation of the first Bragg grating element.