Holographic storage and multiplexing in azopolyester blends using low energy pulses down to 2 ms

Three different blends containing side-chain azobenzene polyesters and poly(methyl methacrylate) homopolymers have been prepared for recording volume holographic polarization gratings using 488 nm light pulses. The final azo content in the blends has been decreased down to 0.2 wt. %, and their morphologies have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Stable and rewritable polarization gratings have been recorded, and 20 gratings have been multiplexed using 2 ms pulses of low energy (4 mJ/cm2). The equilibrium values of the diffraction efficiency were higher than 5 × 10−5.