Polarized-light-controlled holographic recording in an azobenzene-doped polymer film

A new polarized-light-controlled holographic recording based on the optical enhancement/restraint of self-diffraction has been demonstrated in an azob enzene-doped polymer film. It is found that a continuous variation of the p olarization status as well as of the intensity of the pumping light results in a continuous variation of self-diffraction efficiency. The mechanism or iginates from the photo-induced anisotropy and polarization-dependent absor ption. Both positive and negative replicas of an incident image were presen ted in real time by means of this incoherent-coherent optical conversion te chnique.