The rapidly developing digital age demands greater processing power, data storage and data encryption for computer based technologies. Recent developments point towards optical information processing as a great leap forward.
These optical technologies use light based techniques and sources such as lasers to achieve results better than traditional electronic computing and more conventional magnetic based storage methods.
Holograms have been shown to be able to store, write and read massive amounts of data. These holographic data storage techniques can also be accessed at high speeds.
The holographic technique is of particular interest as it allows the registration, transformation, and manipulation of the spatial structure of the light wave fronts. This paper, by Japanese researchers from Nagaoka University of Technology and University of Hyogo, Akira Emoto, Hiroshi Ono and Nobuhiro Kawatsuki presents a matched filter technique which allows the spatial correlation of two optical images for pattern classification and/or detection.
The results demostrate optical image correlation by means of Fourier transform holograms in the region of Raman-Nath diffraction on to photorefractive mesogenic composites film. The reconstructed image produced is readily recognisable as common numerals. Greater study is required into this technique but it points to a new method for fast, efficient storage of incredible amounts of data with high levels of security encryption.
The article is available to view at http://www.azom.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=3289
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