A method for replicating a holographic optical element and a holographic optical element replicated thereby are provided. The holographic optical element is larger than a master. The master has a holographic grating pattern generated on the master by interference of the reflected, diffracted or transmitted beam generated by irradiating the master having a specific diffraction grating pattern formed thereon with a laser beam.

Mastering systems and methods of fabricating waveguides and waveguide devices using such mastering systems are described. Mastering systems for fabricating holographic waveguides can include using a master to control the application of energy (e.g. a laser, light, or magnetic beam) onto a liquid crystal substrate to fabricate a holographic waveguide into the liquid crystal substrate. Mastering systems for fabricating holographic waveguides in accordance with embodiments of the invention can include a variety of features. These features include, but are not limited to: chirp for single input beam copy (near i.e. hybrid contact copy), dual chirped gratings (for input and output), zero order grating for transmittance control, alignment reference gratings, 3:1 construction, position adjustment tooling to enable rapid alignment, optimization of lens and window thickness for multiple RKVs simultaneously, and avoidance of other orders and crossover of the diffraction beam.

Processes and systems are described that can produce images including both three dimensional holographic images and two dimensional variable data, which can provide personalized security features in a document. A photosensitive film can be pressed against a first reflective optical device. A laser beam can be directed through a selected first area of the photosensitive film onto the first reflective optical device to produce a three dimensional holographic image in the photosensitive film. A previously masked second area of the photosensitive film can be pressed against a second reflective optical device. The laser beam can project an image constructed by a spatial light modulator and can be directed through the second area of the photosensitive film onto the second reflective optical device to produce a two dimensional image in the second area. During the process, the web tension of the photosensitive film is controlled.

Holograms are generated using a rotatable transparent cylinder and a coherent light source placed inside or outside of such cylinder to record a hologram in a photosensitive film having a reflective film on one side. Recording is done in continuous mode while cylinder is rotating and photosensitive film is translating underneath in contact with cylinder due to friction forces provided by a layer of sticky polymer.

A process is provided for producing a hologram that can be applied in particular to a curved carrier, characterized by the process steps of bending a flat, photosensitive recording material and projecting the hologram into the curved recording material.

In an embodiment a hologram recording system includes an optical system configured to provide first and second beams of electromagnetic radiation, the optical system having a first lens configured to interact with the first beam, a photosensitive recording medium configured to receive the first and second beams and record an interference pattern formed by the first and second beams and an actuation system configured to move a component of the optical system to adjust a position of the first beam relative to the first lens and thereby control an angle of incidence of the first beam at the photosensitive recording medium, wherein the first lens is configured to interact with the second beam, and wherein the actuation system is configured to move a second component of the optical system to adjust a position of the second beam relative to the first lens and thereby control an angle of incidence of the second beam at the photosensitive recording medium.

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.

An apparatus for generating a hologram that may generate a three-dimensional (3D) hologram pattern at a high speed may include a pattern setting unit to set points for which hologram patterns are to be generated with respect to a one-eighth area of an entire area for which a hologram pattern is to be generated, a calculation unit to calculate pattern values for a plurality of reference points selected with respect to the one-eighth area of the entire area, and to generate a pattern for the one-eighth area using recurrent interpolation, and a pattern duplicating unit to complete a pattern for the entire area by duplicating the generated pattern for the one-eighth area.

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.