Multifunctional photoreactive inorganic cages for three-dimensional holographic data storage

We demonstrate a holographic photopolymer based on multifunctional photoreactive inorganic cages, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). It is shown that a second photopolymerizable monomer, POSS, for the photopolymer, contributes to significantly enhance photosensitivity as well as refractive index modulation (Delta n). We also found that during the formation of holographic gratings, polymerization of POSS could effectively suppress volume shrinkage of photopolymer resin, owing to its filler-strengthening effect of inorganic cages accompanied with interpenetrating effect. (C) 2009 Optical Society of America