A system includes a plurality of optical identifiers and a reader for the optical identifiers. Each optical identifier has an optical substrate and a volume hologram (e.g., with unique data, such as a code page) in the optical substrate. The reader for the optical identifiers includes an illumination source (e.g., a laser), and a camera. The illumination source is configured to direct light into a selected one of the optical identifiers that has been placed into the reader to produce an image of the associated volume holograms at the camera. The camera is configured to capture the image. The captured image may be stored in a digital format by the system.

Embodiments herein provide systems and methods for forming an optical component. A method may include providing a plurality of proximity masks between a plasma source and a workpiece, the workpiece including a plurality of substrates secured thereto. Each of the plurality of substrates may include first and second target areas. The method may further include delivering, from the plasma source, an angled ion beam towards the workpiece, wherein the angled ion beam is then received at one of the plurality of masks. A first proximity mask may include a first set of openings permitting the angled ion beam to pass therethrough to just the first target area of each of the plurality of substrates. A second proximity mask may include a second set of openings permitting the angled ion beam to pass therethrough just to the second target area of each of the plurality of substrates.

Embodiments herein provide systems and methods for forming an optical component. A method may include providing a plurality of proximity masks between a plasma source and a workpiece, the workpiece including a plurality of substrates secured thereto. Each of the plurality of substrates may include first and second target areas. The method may further include delivering, from the plasma source, an angled ion beam towards the workpiece, wherein the angled ion beam is then received at one of the plurality of masks. A first proximity mask may include a first set of openings permitting the angled ion beam to pass therethrough to just the first target area of each of the plurality of substrates. A second proximity mask may include a second set of openings permitting the angled ion beam to pass therethrough just to the second target area of each of the plurality of substrates.

An improved optical encoder uses an optical pick-up unit that provides for degrees of freedom in the tracking and focus axes that are unavailable in conventional optical encoders thereby improving the encoders' performance. In an embodiment the encoder employs an optical disc marked with pits and lands which may be arranged in a spiral pattern. The optical disc is mounted on the shaft whose motion is to be monitored by the optical encoder. The encoder may be arranged to read the markings on the optical disc using the three-beam pickup method.

An improved optical encoder uses an optical pick-up unit that provides for degrees of freedom in the tracking and focus axes that are unavailable in conventional optical encoders thereby improving the encoders' performance. In an embodiment the encoder employs an optical disc marked with pits and lands which may be arranged in a spiral pattern. The optical disc is mounted on the shaft whose motion is to be monitored by the optical encoder. The encoder may be arranged to read the markings on the optical disc using the three-beam pickup method.

An optical storage system includes an optical head configured to split a light beam into a higher power main beam and at least one lower power side beam. The optical storage system also includes a controller configured to alter an optical medium, via modulation of the higher power main beam according to a writing strategy waveform that defines at least n pulses for every n bits of data to be written to the medium, while processing a first signal resulting from the at least one lower power side beam being reflected from the medium and a second signal indicative of the writing strategy waveform to remove noise from the first signal caused by the higher power main beam to generate output indicative of the data directly after writing.

A method for reading and writing with holographic storage system includes (a) providing a reference light and a signal light; (b) transferring the reference light and the signal light to an optical storage medium to record an interference grating; (c) changing the reference light and the signal light and repeating the step of providing another changed reference light and another changed signal light to step (b), in which the reference light and the interference grating are one-to-one correspondence; (d) moving the optical storage medium and repeating steps (a) to (c); (e) providing a reading light which includes the reference lights to the optical storage medium to simultaneously read the interference gratings to form an interference result, any one of the reference lights cannot read out the interference gratings recorded by the other reference lights; and (f) moving the optical storage medium and repeating step (e).

A method for reading and writing with holographic storage system includes (a) providing a reference light and a signal light; (b) transferring the reference light and the signal light to an optical storage medium to record an interference grating; (c) changing the reference light and the signal light and repeating the step of providing another changed reference light and another changed signal light to step (b), in which the reference light and the interference grating are one-to-one correspondence; (d) moving the optical storage medium and repeating steps (a) to (c); (e) providing a reading light which includes the reference lights to the optical storage medium to simultaneously read the interference gratings to form an interference result, any one of the reference lights cannot read out the interference gratings recorded by the other reference lights; and (f) moving the optical storage medium and repeating step (e).

An optical storage system includes an optical head configured to split a light beam into a higher power main beam and at least one lower power side beam. The optical storage system also includes a controller configured to alter an optical medium, via modulation of the higher power main beam according to a writing strategy waveform that defines at least n pulses for every n bits of data to be written to the medium, while processing a first signal resulting from the at least one lower power side beam being reflected from the medium and a second signal indicative of the writing strategy waveform to remove noise from the first signal caused by the higher power main beam to generate output indicative of the data directly after writing.

Introduced here is a display device that comprises a light emitter and a diffractive optical element (DOE) that is optically coupled to receive light from the light emitter and to convey the light along an optical path. The DOE may have an input surface and an output surface parallel to the input surface, where the input surface and the output surface each have a central region and a peripheral region. The DOE further may have optical characteristics such that light exiting the DOE in the peripheral region of the output surface has greater brightness than light exiting the DOE in the central region of the output surface.