POLYMERS FOR HOLOGRAPHIC RECORDING .6. SOME BASIC IDEAS FOR MODELING THE KINETICS OF THE RECORDING PROCESS

The diffusion mechanism for hologram formation in multicomponent polym erizable systems undergoing photocrosslinking was examined. The nonlin ear diffusion equation was solved to predict the behaviour of the reco rding system. The results show the crucial importance of the competiti on between diffusion and photochemical reaction. They account for the reciprocity failure and nonlinearity and reveal the interdependence of the physicochemical, optical and photonic parameters. The experimenta l results obtained with a model recording system are in better than qu alitative agreement with this theoretical approach.