Nonvolatile Holographic Storage in Doubly Doped LiNbO₃

Recent research has demonstrated the feasibility of an all-optical method of recording and readout of holograms in photorefractive crystals, with capabilities for both nonvolatile storage and erasure on demand. Heretofore, volatility has been the primary remaining obstacle to the full implementation of holography with these capabilities: In a typical previously developed holographic system of this type, the readout process erases the stored information and amplifies scattered light.