Characterisation of Holographic Recording in Environmentally Stable Photopolymerisable Glass

Photopolymerisable glasses are holographic recording materials which provide good recording capability, improved dimensional stability, and negligible shrinkage. Recently, a novel photopolymerisable hybrid sol-gel (PHSG) for holographic recording of volume gratings has been reported. The PHSG has significantly improved gelation time and high water resistance, both of which make it an attractive material for mass production of holographic optical elements (HOEs) with no sensitivity to ambient humidity. In order to achieve full control over the performance of the material and further improve its properties, a study of grating formation under holographic patterning is essential. This paper reports characterisation of the grating recording in PHSG. The approach is based on the analysis of grating parameters during exposure and post-recording dark processes. The obtained results suggest that photopolymerisation of the methacrylate groups is the main contributor to the creation of refractive index modulation during exposure. During the dark process, the enhancement of the refractive index modulation is observed, probably due to further polycondensation. The observations made facilitate controlled and predictable diffraction efficiency of gratings recorded on the PHSG, thereby furthering the prospect of the development of HOEs with customisable specification.