A compound represented by the following formula (1):

##STR00001##

[wherein R.sup.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 represents an aromatic ring group optionally having a substituent or an alkyl group substituted with an aromatic ring group optionally having a substituent; X.sup.1 represents a (thio)ester bond, a (thio)carbonate bond, a (thio)amide bond, a (thio)urethane bond, a (thio)urea bond, a (thio)ether bond, oxygen, sulfur, or a nitrogen atom optionally having a substituent; X.sup.2 represents oxygen, sulfur, or a nitrogen atom optionally having a substituent; A represents a divalent group optionally having a substituent; L represents an (m+1)-valent linking group optionally having a substituent; m represents an integer of 1 to 3; and n represents 0 or 1].

A multifunctional liquid crystalline photoreactive polymer in which at least some of the polymer side-chains have an ultraviolet photoreactive moiety and at least some of the polymer side-chains have a calamitic mesogenic moiety are provided. At least some of the polymer side-chains have a photo-curable moiety a thermal-curable moiety. In some embodiments, the polymer is in the form of a co-polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer is in the form of a ter-polymer. The polymer is used in applications that require stable birefringement films. Such films are produced from the polymer by subjecting the polymer to ultra-violet light to cause side-chain cross-linking thereby inducing anisotropy. The anisotropy is then amplified by exposing the polymer to an elevated temperature.

Methods of recording volume Bragg gratings are provided. A recording medium includes matrix polymer precursor, inimer comprising a polymerizable functional group and a controlled radical reactive group, photoinitiator more reactive with the polymerizable functional group than the controlled radical reactive group in the presence of an excitation source, and a photoredux catalyst. The medium is cured to form a support matrix. The medium is exposed to the excitation source, forming a latent grating having bright fringes and dark fringes. Polymerized inimer is more concentrated in the bright fringes than in the dark fringes. A high refractive index monomer reactive with the controlled radical reactive group is diffused into the medium and exposed to light to cause controlled radical polymerization between the high refractive index monomer and the controlled radical reactive group of the polymerized inimer, driving up a refractive index of the bright fringes relative to the dark fringes.

To provide a hologram recording composition capable of further improving diffraction characteristics.

The present technology provides a hologram recording composition containing at least a radically polymerizable monomer, a matrix resin, a photopolymerization initiator, and an anthracene-based compound. The present technology also provides a hologram recording medium including a photocurable resin layer containing at least a radically polymerizable monomer, a matrix resin, a photopolymerization initiator, and an anthracene-based compound. Furthermore, the present technology also provides a hologram using the hologram recording medium. Moreover, the present technology also provides an optical device and an optical component using the hologram.

To provide a hologram recording composition capable of further improving diffraction characteristics and the transparency of a hologram.

The present technology provides a hologram recording composition containing at least a chromic dye whose decolorized body has a structure containing a primary and/or secondary amino group, an epoxy monomer, and a polymerization initiator. The present technology also provides a hologram recording medium including a photosensitive layer containing at least a chromic dye whose decolorized body has a structure containing a primary and/or secondary amino group, an epoxy monomer, and a polymerization initiator. Furthermore, the present technology also provides a hologram optical element using the hologram recording medium. Moreover, the present technology also provides an optical device and an optical component using the hologram optical element. The present technology also provides a method for forming a hologram diffraction grating, the method including causing the hologram recording medium to react selectively by an electromagnetic beam having a spatially modulated amplitude.

The present disclosure relates to a hologram medium comprising: a polymer substrate including a polymer resin in which a silane-based functional group is located in a main chain or a branched chain, wherein a fine pattern is formed on at least one surface of the polymer substrate, and an optical element.

A method is provided. The method includes directing a first beam to a polarization sensitive recording medium. The method also includes directing a second beam to the polarization sensitive recording medium to interfere with the first beam to generate a polarization interference pattern, to which the polarization sensitive recording medium is exposed. One of the first beam and the second beam has a planar wavefront and the other has a non-planar wavefront. A first propagation direction of the first beam and a second propagation of the second beam are non-parallel.

A security document having a security element including a multilayer body with a volume hologram layer and a partial opaque layer, arranged on a surface of the volume hologram layer, which is present in a first area and is not present in a second area.

A metamaterial optical filter including: a transparent substrate; and a photosensitive polymer layer provided to the transparent substrate, wherein the photosensitive polymer layer is treated using a laser to form a non-conformal holographically patterned subwavelength grating, the holographic grating configured to block a predetermined wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. A system and method for manufacturing holographically patterned subwavelength grating onto the photosensitive polymer layer including: applying a photosensitive polymer layer to a transparent substrate; placing the photosensitive polymer layer between a laser and a mirror; scanning the laser over the photosensitive polymer layer such that a holographic grating is created within the photosensitive polymer layer by interaction between the laser light and light reflected from the mirror; and stacking two or more holographically patterned subwavelength grating layers to form complex metamaterial optical filter stacks.

An optical device includes a first polarization selective reflector; a second polarization selective reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs first light having a first nonplanar polarization toward the second polarization selective reflector and the second polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the first light toward the first polarization selective reflector as second light. The optical device includes a first reflector positioned relative to the first polarization selective reflector so that the first polarization selective reflector directs at least a portion of the second light having a second nonplanar polarization toward the first reflector as third light.