Nanoscale optical reinforcement for enhanced reversible holography

We demonstrate a nanoscale optical reinforcement concept for reversible holographic recording. The bone-muscle-like mechanism enables enhancement of holographic grating formation due to the collective alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules nearby photo-reconfigurable polymer backbones. The LC fluidity facilitates the ease of polymer chain transformation during the holographic recording while the polymer network stabilizes the LC collective orientation and the consequential optical enhancement after the recording. As such, the holographic recording possesses both long-term persistence and real-time rewritability.