Polarization-multiplexed optical memory with urethane-urea copolymers

We present a polarization-multiplexed optical memory with urethane-urea cop olymers. The side chains of the methane-urea copolymers induce cis-trans is omerization by illumination of blue or green light, and they align perpendi cular to the Linear polarization of the illuminated Light, thus producing o ptical anisotropy. We found that the material showed selective anisotropy f or the particular direction that was perpendicular to that of the recording beam polarization. By use of the anisotropic property three different data pages were multiplexed at the same spot of the medium. Erasure of the reco rded bit data is also demonstrated. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.