Use of a photothermoplastic disk for storing two-dimensional Fourier holograms in optical data-processing systems

The fundamental principles of locally recording two-dimensional holograms on a photothermoplastic disk by heating with an infrared laser are considered. The method developed was used in making a holographic photothermoplastic disk with homogeneous storage characteristics. The promising aspects of designing a system based on a holographic photothermoplastic disk and using the parallel data-processing principle, such as an optical neural network and an optical correlator, are pointed out. The principle merit of these systems is their high data-processing rate with a large storage capacity for standard patterns. The possibilities are indicated of implementing low-frequency spatial image filtering by recording matched niters and holograms, of recording complex filters by superposition, and of local rerecording of data on a photothermoplastic disk.