Holographic storage medium and method for gated diffusion of photoactive monomer

1. An article comprising an optical medium comprising:

a diffusion-controlling matrix framework;

at least one photoactive monomer attached to said diffusion-controlling matrix framework in a first state of said optical medium;

wherein said at least one photoactive monomer is released from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework by photo cleavage, producing a second state of said optical medium, to provide diffusion of said photoactive monomer through said optical medium when exposed to photo cleaving light;

wherein said at least one photoactive monomer is polymerized or reattached to said diffusion-controlling matrix, in a third state of said optical medium, when exposed to photo-polymerizing light; and

wherein said photoactive monomer comprises:

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein said photoactive monomer is a photoactive index-contrasting monomer.

3. The article of claim 1 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a polymer support matrix.

4. The article of claim 3 , wherein said polymer support matrix comprises a thermoset polymer.

5. The article of claim 3 wherein said polymer support matrix comprises a thermoplastic.

6. The article of claim 1 , further comprising at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is positioned between said at least a pair of substrates.

7. The article of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said at least a pair of substrates comprises glass.

8. The article of claim 6 , wherein at least one of said at least a pair of substrates comprises plastic.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein said optical medium is an optical waveguide.

10. The article of claim 1 , wherein said photoactive monomer can undergo a reverse photoaddition reaction.

11. The article of claim 10 , wherein said photoactive monomer can undergo a reversible photocycloaddition reaction.

12. The article of claim 11 , wherein said photoactive monomer comprises a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety or a cycloalkyl derivative of a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety.

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein said photoactive monomer comprises a cycloalkyl derivative of a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety selected from the group consisting of cycloalkylacenaphthylene-containing moieties, and cycloalkylphenanthrene-containing moieties.

14. The article of claim 12 , wherein said photoactive monomer comprises a cycloalkylacenaphthylene-containing moiety.

15. The article of claim 11 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises one or more vinyl groups.

16. The article of claim 11 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises one or more vinyl ether groups.

17. The article of claim 10 , wherein said photoactive monomer undergoes only a reverse photoaddition reaction to release said photoactive monomer from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework.

18. The article of claim 1 , further comprising at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is positioned between said at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is an optical waveguide.

19. The article of claim 1 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a polyurethane having one or more functional isocyanate groups.

20. The article of claim 1 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a thermoset polyurethane.

21. The article of claim 1 , wherein said optical medium is a holographic storage medium.

22. The article of claim 1 , wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 260 nm and 320 nm.

23. The article of claim 1 , wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 290 nm and 310 nm.

24. The article of claim 1 , wherein said polymerization or reattachment can occur using light having a wavelength of between 370 nm and 450 nm.

25. The article of claim 1 , wherein said polymerization or reattachment can occur using light having a wavelength of between 395 nm and 415 nm.

26. An article comprising a holographic storage medium comprising:

a diffusion-controlling matrix framework;

at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer attached to said diffusion-controlling matrix framework in a first state of said holographic storage medium;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is released from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework by photo cleavage, producing a second state of said holographic storage medium, to provide diffusion of said photoactive index-contrasting monomer through said holographic storage medium when exposed to photo cleaving light;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is polymerized with said diffusion-controlling matrix, in a third state of said holographic storage medium, when exposed to photo-polymerizing light; and

wherein said photoactive monomer comprises:

27. The article of claim 26 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a polymer support matrix.

28. The article of claim 27 , wherein said polymer support matrix comprises a thermoset polymer.

29. The article of claim 27 wherein said polymer support matrix comprises a thermoplastic.

30. The article of claim 26 , further comprises at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is positioned between said at least a pair of substrates.

31. The article of claim 30 , wherein at least one of said at least a pair of substrates comprises glass.

32. The article of claim 30 , wherein at least one of said at least a pair of substrates comprises plastic.

33. The article of claim 26 , wherein said optical medium is an optical waveguide.

34. The article of claim 26 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer can undergo a reversible photoaddition reaction.

35. The article of claim 34 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer can undergo a reversible photocycloaddition reaction.

36. The article of claim 35 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer comprises a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety or a cycloalkyl derivative of a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety.

37. The article of claim 36 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer comprises a cycloalkyl derivative of a polyaromatic hydrocarbon moiety selected from the group consisting of cycloalkylacenaphthylene-containing moieties, and cycloalkylphenanthrene-containing moieties.

38. The article of claim 36 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer comprises a cycloalkylacenaphthylene-containing moiety.

39. The article of claim 35 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises one or more vinyl groups.

40. The article of claim 35 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises one or more vinyl ether groups.

41. The article of claim 34 , wherein said photoactive index-contrasting monomer undergoes only a reverse photoaddition reaction to release said photoactive index-contrasting monomer from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework.

42. The article of claim 26 , further comprising at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is positioned between said at least a pair of substrates and wherein said optical medium is an optical waveguide.

43. The article of claim 26 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a polyurethane having one or more functional isocyanate groups.

44. The article of claim 26 , wherein said diffusion-controlling matrix framework comprises a thermoset polyurethane.

45. The article of claim 26 , wherein said polymerization or reattachment can occur using light having a wavelength of between 300 nm and 425 nm.

46. The article of claim 26 , wherein said polymerization or reattachment can occur using light having a wavelength of between 400 nm and 410 nm.

47. The article of claim 26 , wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 425 nm and 500 nm.

48. The article of claim 26 , wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 435 nm and 450 nm.

49. An article comprising a holographic storage medium comprising:

a diffusion-controlling matrix framework;

at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer attached to said diffusion-controlling matrix framework in a first state of said holographic storage medium;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is released from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework by photo cleavage, producing a second state of said holographic storage medium, to provide diffusion of said photoactive index-contrasting monomer through said holographic storage medium when exposed to photo cleaving light;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is polymerized with said diffusion-controlling matrix, in a third state of said holographic storage medium, when exposed to photo-polymerizing light; and

wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 425 nm and 500 nm.

50. An article comprising a holographic storage medium comprising:

a diffusion-controlling matrix framework;

at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer attached to said diffusion-controlling matrix framework in a first state of said holographic storage medium;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is released from said diffusion-controlling matrix framework by photo cleavage, producing a second state of said holographic storage medium, to provide diffusion of said photoactive index-contrasting monomer through said holographic storage medium when exposed to photo cleaving light;

wherein said at least one photoactive index-contrasting monomer is polymerized with said diffusion-controlling matrix, in a third state of said holographic storage medium, when exposed to photo-polymerizing light; and

wherein said photo cleavage can be achieved using light having a wavelength of between 435 nm and 450 nm.