Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Spectral Hole-Burning and Related Spectroscopies: Science and Applications

Spectral Phase-Encoding Of Addresses For Optical Data Storage In Frequency Selective Media

Heiki Sõnajalg, Anne Débarre, J.-L. Le Gouët, I. Lorgeré, P. Tchénio

Published Jan 1, 1994• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The persistent spectral hole burning property is known to add a fourth dimension to the optical data storage volume. Full advantage of the large capacity of such memories and of the intrinsic parallelism due to their optical nature can be taken in an application such as image storage. In this frame, the read-out operation has to be effected at video rate at least. This is not achieved by currently developed image-addressing methods. The present paper proposes a new procedure to overcome the so far encountered limitations.

DOI
10.1364/shbs.1994.wd10

Related papers

Voltage-tunable optical data storage using persistent spectral hole burning

Udo Bogner, K. Beck, P. Schätz +1 more

The use of persistent spectral hole burning in optical data storage allows an increase of the storage density up to a factor of 1000 compared to the common spatial matrix of optical bits.1 The information is stored by burning at low temperature a sequence of narrow spectral holes in the inhomogeneously broadened optical transition of optical centers, e.g. dye molecules embedded in an amorphous polymer, with a tunable narrow-bandwidth laser. One bit of information is encoded by the presence or absence of a hole at a given location in frequency space. The information is read by observing the absorption or the fluorescence of the storage material using a laser with tunable frequency. One of the problems of spectral hole burning data storage arises from the fact that for addressing the memory locations the laser frequency has to be changed over a large frequency range with high accuracy and speed.

Optical Data Storage•Jan 1, 1985•0 citations

Phase-encoding technique in time-domain holography: theoretical estimation

Heiki Sõnajalg, Anne Débarre, J.-L. Le Gouët +2 more

In previous investigations of optical data storage in persistent spectral-hole-burning materials, either the spectral or the temporal positions of the data were used as memory addresses. We suggest having the address represented by the spectral shape of the writing field and retrieving information with the aid of pattern recognition of this spectral shape. This procedure is expected to accelerate access to the stored data. To evaluate the validity of the method, we consider various physical effects that may give rise to cross talk among the different addresses. A numerical simulation under realistic conditions is presented.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Aug 1, 1995•14 citations

Molecular electronics for frequency domain optical storage: Persistent spectral hole-burning - A review

W. E. Moerner

Persistent spectral hole-burning (PHB) is a phenomenon that allows an additional dimension, the frequency at which spectral holes are written, to be used to encode digital data. PHB can be used to store a large number of bits of information in the volume irradiated by a focused laser beam, leading to a possible future storage technology, frequency domain optical storage. A large number of photochemical and photophysical mechanisms have led to the production of spectral holes; a wealth of information has been learned about host-guest interactions, dephasing, and solid-state photochemistry at low temperatures. The general structure of a frequency domain optical store places a set of constraints on the engineering of such a system as well as on the materials used as recording media. The dynamics of the hole-burning process are crucial; for monophotonic mechanisms in particular, a set of stringent constraints can be derived that limit the applicability of this class of materials. Recent discoveries of two-color, photon-gated hole-burning offer special promise for nondestructive reading and improved performance.

•Mar 25, 1985•10 citations

Spectral memory & other applications of spatial-spectral holography

THOMAS W. MOSSBERG

Optical devices have been slower to mature than those based purely on electronics. Yet optical interactions offer a number of unique capabilities expected to support entirely new classes of devices-devices offering unprecedented performance in communications, computing, and data storage applications. In the present work, optical devices based on the interaction of light with frequency-selective recording materials are discussed. A frequency-selective recording material has the capability of supporting multiple independent recording channels. Each channel is addressed by light within a specific narrow band of optical frequencies. In some materials, operative at cryogenic temperatures, millions of distinct spectral channels are available. Through the mechanism of persistent spectral hole-burning, light can be employed to transiently or even permanently modify the absorptive or dispersive properties of the recording material within a selected channel. Such modifications provide a means of recording multiple bits of optical information within single spatial locations. Spectral multiplexing of information has clear potential in information storage systems. Less obviously, the ability to spectrally encode information provides an enabling basis for ultrahigh speed, content-controlled, all-optical switching devices operable at data speeds up to the Terabit/sec level.

IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting (LEOS)•Dec 23, 2002•0 citations

Optical Data Storage Using Persistent Spectral Hole Burning

Eric S. Maniloff, Stefan B. Altner, Stefan Bernet +2 more

The use of holography is attractive for optical data storage due to its poten­tial for implementing page oriented data storage systems. However, multiplexed recording using Bragg selective materials has not provided a large enough stor­age capability to justify the expense of these systems. Persistent spectral hole burning holography allows multiplexed recording using much smaller wavelength separations between the holograms, and hence dramatically increases the storage capacity possible in holographic memory systems [1]. A comparison between the wavelength selectivity obtained for transmission gratings recorded using hole burning in a dye doped polymer film versus Bragg selectivity in a 1 cm thick iron-doped lithium niobate crystal is shown in Fig. (1).

Joint International Symposium on Optical Memory and Optical Data Storage•Jan 1, 1993•0 citations

Multidimensional Holography by Persistent Spectral Hole Burning

Alois Renn, Urs P. Wild, Aleksander K. Rebane

Persistent spectral hole burning (PSHB) in organic molecules doped in a polymer matrix at low temperatures allows optical recording of information in the dimensions of frequency and time, as well as in space and externally applied electric field. We use this special property to demonstrate new types of holograms, which extend conventional spatial-domain optical data storage into the new dimensions. Basic aspects of recording and playback of holograms by persistent spectral hole burning, including relation between frequency- and time-domain response function, is discussed. This paper is elucidating inherent relations between the time- and frequency-domain versions of PSHB holography. We show that by multiplexing holograms in the frequency dimension, we can store a large number (up to 12 000) of image holograms using a single spectral hole burning sample. In the time domain, we show storage and reproduction of ultrashort time-space images on the scale of 10 -12 −10 -13 s. Experiments demonstrating unusual hologram properties, such as causality-related asymmetry of diffraction, inversion of time coordinate, and ultrafast processing, are presented.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry A•Mar 13, 2002•57 citations
The persistent spectral hole burning property is known to add a fourth dimension to the optical data storage volume. Full advantage of the large capacity of such memories and of the intrinsic parallelism due to their optical nature can be taken in an application such as image storage. In this frame, the read-out operation has to be effected at video rate at least. This is not achieved by currently developed image-addressing methods. The present paper proposes a new procedure to overcome the so far encountered limitations.
The use of persistent spectral hole burning in optical data storage allows an increase of the storage density up to a factor of 1000 compared to the common spatial matrix of optical bits.1 The information is stored by burning at low temperature a sequence of narrow spectral holes in the inhomogeneously broadened optical transition of optical centers, e.g. dye molecules embedded in an amorphous polymer, with a tunable narrow-bandwidth laser. One bit of information is encoded by the presence or absence of a hole at a given location in frequency space. The information is read by observing the absorption or the fluorescence of the storage material using a laser with tunable frequency. One of the problems of spectral hole burning data storage arises from the fact that for addressing the memory locations the laser frequency has to be changed over a large frequency range with high accuracy and speed.
In previous investigations of optical data storage in persistent spectral-hole-burning materials, either the spectral or the temporal positions of the data were used as memory addresses. We suggest having the address represented by the spectral shape of the writing field and retrieving information with the aid of pattern recognition of this spectral shape. This procedure is expected to accelerate access to the stored data. To evaluate the validity of the method, we consider various physical effects that may give rise to cross talk among the different addresses. A numerical simulation under realistic conditions is presented.
Persistent spectral hole-burning (PHB) is a phenomenon that allows an additional dimension, the frequency at which spectral holes are written, to be used to encode digital data. PHB can be used to store a large number of bits of information in the volume irradiated by a focused laser beam, leading to a possible future storage technology, frequency domain optical storage. A large number of photochemical and photophysical mechanisms have led to the production of spectral holes; a wealth of information has been learned about host-guest interactions, dephasing, and solid-state photochemistry at low temperatures. The general structure of a frequency domain optical store places a set of constraints on the engineering of such a system as well as on the materials used as recording media. The dynamics of the hole-burning process are crucial; for monophotonic mechanisms in particular, a set of stringent constraints can be derived that limit the applicability of this class of materials. Recent discoveries of two-color, photon-gated hole-burning offer special promise for nondestructive reading and improved performance.
Optical devices have been slower to mature than those based purely on electronics. Yet optical interactions offer a number of unique capabilities expected to support entirely new classes of devices-devices offering unprecedented performance in communications, computing, and data storage applications. In the present work, optical devices based on the interaction of light with frequency-selective recording materials are discussed. A frequency-selective recording material has the capability of supporting multiple independent recording channels. Each channel is addressed by light within a specific narrow band of optical frequencies. In some materials, operative at cryogenic temperatures, millions of distinct spectral channels are available. Through the mechanism of persistent spectral hole-burning, light can be employed to transiently or even permanently modify the absorptive or dispersive properties of the recording material within a selected channel. Such modifications provide a means of recording multiple bits of optical information within single spatial locations. Spectral multiplexing of information has clear potential in information storage systems. Less obviously, the ability to spectrally encode information provides an enabling basis for ultrahigh speed, content-controlled, all-optical switching devices operable at data speeds up to the Terabit/sec level.
The use of holography is attractive for optical data storage due to its poten­tial for implementing page oriented data storage systems. However, multiplexed recording using Bragg selective materials has not provided a large enough stor­age capability to justify the expense of these systems. Persistent spectral hole burning holography allows multiplexed recording using much smaller wavelength separations between the holograms, and hence dramatically increases the storage capacity possible in holographic memory systems [1]. A comparison between the wavelength selectivity obtained for transmission gratings recorded using hole burning in a dye doped polymer film versus Bragg selectivity in a 1 cm thick iron-doped lithium niobate crystal is shown in Fig. (1).
Persistent spectral hole burning (PSHB) in organic molecules doped in a polymer matrix at low temperatures allows optical recording of information in the dimensions of frequency and time, as well as in space and externally applied electric field. We use this special property to demonstrate new types of holograms, which extend conventional spatial-domain optical data storage into the new dimensions. Basic aspects of recording and playback of holograms by persistent spectral hole burning, including relation between frequency- and time-domain response function, is discussed. This paper is elucidating inherent relations between the time- and frequency-domain versions of PSHB holography. We show that by multiplexing holograms in the frequency dimension, we can store a large number (up to 12 000) of image holograms using a single spectral hole burning sample. In the time domain, we show storage and reproduction of ultrashort time-space images on the scale of 10 -12 −10 -13 s. Experiments demonstrating unusual hologram properties, such as causality-related asymmetry of diffraction, inversion of time coordinate, and ultrafast processing, are presented.