Fabrication of ultra-fine-grain silver halide recording material for color holography

Abstract

Color holography is the most accurate imaging technology known to science. It is possible to produce holographic images that are almost identical to the original scene. Color holograms and holographic optical elements (HOEs) are becoming increasingly attractive. Since the 1990s the developments in other technology areas have created many potential new applications for color holograms and HOEs but again these new market areas are unexploited due to the lack of a suitable color holographic recording material. This restricts the commercial and technical development and exploitation of holographic-based industries, applications, techniques and processes. There is not a sufficient, commercial recording material for color holograms and HOEs. Most of the materials that are in use at present have relative poor performance and many manufacture methods of the materials are limited to laboratory scale. This paper presents fabrication details of ultra-fine grain (5 -10 nm), high sensitivity (less than 2.0 mJcm^-2), low light-scattering, panchromatic silver halide emulsions. Such materials can be used for high-quality 3-D imaging recording techniques, including color holograms and HOEs. A comprehensive approach regarding all aspects of the emulsion preparation, from the precipitation of the silver halide crystals to sensitization and coating is provided. There are also recommendations regarding the processing of the material in order to achieve optimum performance.