HOLOGRAPHIC RECORDING MEDIUM
Disclosed herein are novel nitrone compounds, holographic recording media that include the nitrone compound(s) and a polymer binder, a method of manufacturing a holographic recording medium where the nitrone compound, as a photochromic dye, is mixed with a polymer binder to form a holographic composition and molding the holographic composition into holographic data recording medium. Disclosed herein too is a method for recording a hologram by exposing the holographic recording medium to mutually coherent signal and reference light sources at a wavelength that causes a change in the chemical structure of the nitrone compound.
1 . A holographic recording composition comprising a polymer binder and a nitrone compound according to the formula:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 10 alkyl.
2 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 8 alkyl.
3 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl.
4 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 4 alkyl.
5 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently methyl or ethyl.
6 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is methyl and R 2 is ethyl.
7 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer binder is a thermoplastic polymer, a thermoset polymer, or a coating.
8 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer binder is a polycarbonate, a polyestercarbonate, or a mixture thereof.
9 . The holographic recording composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymer binder has a glass transition temperature of at least 120° C.
10 . A compound according to the formula:
wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 10 alkyl.
11 . The compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 8 alkyl.
12 . The compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl.
13 . The compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 4 alkyl.
14 . The compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently methyl or ethyl.
15 . The compound of claim 10 , wherein R 1 is methyl and R 2 is ethyl.
16 . A composition comprising the compound of claim 10 and a polymer.
17 . The composition of claim 16 , wherein the polymer is a polymer binder having said compound dispersed therein.
18 . A method of manufacturing a holographic recording medium, comprising:
mixing a compound according to claim 10 with a molten thermoplastic polymer binder to form a mixture, and forming the mixture into a holographic recording medium.
19 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the molten thermoplastic polymer binder is at a temperature of at least 120° C.
20 . A method of recording a volume hologram, comprising exposing a holographic recording medium comprising the composition of claim 1 to mutually coherent signal and reference light sources at a wavelength that causes a change in the chemical structure of the compound of formula (I).
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently C 1 -C 6 alkyl.
22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are each independently methyl or ethyl.