Hybrid white-light viewable holograms and methods for making them. The holograms are hybrid reflection holograms made using the diffractive structures or gratings of a holographic object such as a transmission hologram or holographic optical element (HOE). The wavefronts of the diffractive structures are converted into a reflection hologram by scanning them with a coherent light source having a profiled narrow beam. The hybrid reflection hologram can exhibit display parameters including the multiple colors, solidity, and color stability of white light reflection holograms, the diffractive color shifting of a white light transmission hologram, three dimensional imaging and a wide variety of dynamic changes. Different areas or images with each of these effects can be combined in a single hologram. These hybrid reflection holograms are ideal for security and forgery prevention applications.

A method for producing a hologram on a curved substrate plate includes providing a curved substrate plate having a substrate surface, the actual geometry of which is subject to a tolerance deviation with respect to a predetermined desired geometry; providing an inflatable cushion with a cushion surface that can be deformed under the effect of pressure and is preformed into the predetermined desired geometry or with a predetermined deviation therefrom; applying a holographic master in the form of a flexible thin layer to the deformable cushion surface and applying a hologram-recording layer to the substrate surface; pressing or placing the holographic master onto the hologram-recording layer by way of the cushion surface deformed to the actual geometry, thereby achieving full surface-area contact between them with a substantially constant predetermined layer thickness of the hologram-recording layer, and exposing the hologram-recording layer to form a hologram.

Holographic volume gratings in waveguide cells can be recorded using many different methods and systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. One embodiment includes a holographic recording system including at least one laser source configured to emit recording beams and a movable platform configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein when the movable platform is in the first position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a first set of one or more recording beams toward a first set of one or more stations and when the movable platform is in the second position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a second set of one or more recording beams toward a second set of one or more stations.

Holographic volume gratings in waveguide cells can be recorded using many different methods and systems in accordance with various embodiments of the invention. One embodiment includes a holographic recording system including at least one laser source configured to emit recording beams and a movable platform configured to move between a first position and a second position, wherein when the movable platform is in the first position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a first set of one or more recording beams toward a first set of one or more stations and when the movable platform is in the second position, the at least one laser source is configured to emit a second set of one or more recording beams toward a second set of one or more stations.

A method for replicating a hologram in a light-sensitive composite web comprises providing a master element comprising a substrate body and at least one master hologram, applying a light-sensitive composite web on a surface of the master element, exposing the master element in order to replicate the at least one master hologram into the light-sensitive composite web and detaching the exposed composite web from the master element. The method also comprises the temporary application of an optical adhesive film between the light-sensitive composite web and the surface of the master element. The optical adhesive film imparts optical contact between the master element and the light-sensitive composite web during the exposure. Another method for replicating a hologram in a light-sensitive composite web comprises using an input coupling element, wherein an optical adhesive film is introduced between the composite web and the input coupling element.

A device for continuously replicating a hologram has a coating module to coat a liquid photopolymer onto a first carrier film, a lamination module to apply a second carrier film to the first carrier film coated with the photopolymer to obtain a photopolymer composite including a liquid photopolymer layer between two carrier films, an exposure module having a light source, and a master element with a master hologram to be replicated, and a fixing module to cure the replicated hologram in the photopolymer composite. The master element is axially rotatably mounted, and the exposure module is designed to bring the photopolymer composite in optical contact with the master element, while the light source exposes the master hologram to obtain a replicated hologram in a region of the photopolymer composite.

A method includes providing a multiplicity of masters, each of the masters having a substrate body and at least one master hologram, selecting a sequence of masters from the multiplicity of masters based on a plurality of holograms to be replicated and arranging the sequence of masters on a first carrier to align upper faces of the masters in a horizontal plane, detachably laminating a light-sensitive composite web on the aligned upper faces, exposing the masters to replicate the master holograms in the light-sensitive composite web, and detaching the exposed composite web from the masters. The masters are detachably incorporated in the first carrier such that a sequence and/or composition of the masters for replicating the plurality of holograms is variable. The masters are incorporated in the first carrier such that two or more faces of the masters are optically accessible for exposure.

A method for continuously replicating a hologram by a device having a coating module, a lamination module, an exposure module and a fixing module involves coating a first carrier film with a liquid photopolymer using the coating module, applying a second carrier film to the coated first carrier film using the lamination module to obtain a photopolymer composite including a liquid photopolymer layer between two carrier films, bringing a region of the photopolymer composite in contact with an axially rotatable master element including a master hologram to be replicated in the exposure module, and exposing the region of the photopolymer composite to a light source, such that the master hologram is replicated on the photopolymer composite, and curing a replica hologram contained in the liquid photopolymer in the fixing module.