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SEMINAR REPORT ON

HOLOGRAPHY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

Johin G Krishna

Sem:04

Reg no:35120011
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to place on record my deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Saji K.J , Associate Professor,

International School of Photonics,Cochin University of Science and Technology,Cochin 682 022, Kerala,

India , for his generous guidance, help and useful suggestions.

I express my sincere gratitude to Muhammad Rishad.K.P ,Assistant Professor, International School of

Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682 022, Kerala, India, for giving me the

opportunity to expand my knowledge in this field and giving me guidelines to present a seminar report.

ABSTRACT

This seminar examines the new technology of Holographic Projections. It highlights the importance
and need of this technology and how it represents the new wave in the future of technology and
communications, the different application of the technology, the fields of life it will dramatically affect
including business, education, telecommunication and healthcare. The paper also discusses the future of
holographic technology and how it will prevail in the coming years highlighting how it will also affect and
reshape many other fields of life, technologies and businesses.

Holography is a diffraction-based coherent imaging technique in which a complex three-dimensional

object can be reproduced from a flat, two-dimensional screen with a complex transparency
representing amplitude and phase values. It is commonly agreed that real-time holography is the ne
plus ultra art and science of visualizing fast temporally changing 3-D scenes. The integration of the
real-time or electro-holographic principle into display technology is one of the most promising but also
challenging developments for the future consumer display and TV market. Only holography allows the
reconstruction of natural-looking 3-D scenes, and therefore provides observers with a completely
comfortable viewing experience. But to date several challenges have prevented the technology from
becoming commercialized. But those obstacles are now starting to be overcome. Recently, we have
developed a novel approach to real-time display holography by combining an overlapping sub-hologram
technique with a tracked viewing-window technology.
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CONTENTS

CONTENT Page No.

1. Introduction 4

2. Holography 5

3. Hologram 5-6

4. Working of hologram 6-7

5. Recording a hologram 8

6. Why lasers used 9

7. Reconstruction of hologram 9-10

8. Types of hologram 10-11

9. Applications of holography 11

10. Photography vs holography 12

11. Advantages 13

12. Disadvantages 13

13. Conclusion 14

14. Reference 15
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1.INTRODUCTION

Holography dates from 1947, when British (native of Hungary) scientist Dennis Gabor developed the theory

of holography while working to improve the resolution of an electron microscope. Gabor coined the term

hologram from the Greek words holos, meaning "whole," and gramma, meaning "message". Further

development in the field was stymied during the next decade because light sources available at the time

were not truly "coherent" (monochromatic or one - colour, from a single point, and of a single wavelength).

This barrier was overcome in 1960 by Russian scientists N. Bassov and A. Prokhorov and American

scientist Charles Towns with the invention of the laser, whose pure, intense light was ideal for making

holograms. In that year the pulsed-ruby laser was developed by Dr. T.H. Maimam. This laser system (unlike

the continuous wave laser normally used in holography) emits a very powerful burst of light that lasts only a

few nanoseconds (a billionth of a second). It effectively freezes movement and makes it possible to produce

holograms of high-speed events, such as a bullet in flight, and of living subjects. The first hologram of a

person was made in 1967, paving the way for a specialized application of holography: pulsed holographic

portraiture. In 1962 Emmett Leith and Juris Upatnieks of the University of Michigan recognized from their

work in side-reading radar that holography could be used as a 3-D visual medium. Also in 1962 Dr. Yuri N.

Denisyuk from Russia combined holography with 1908 Nobel Laureate Gabriel Lippmann's work in natural

color photography. Denisyuk’s approach produced a white-light reflection hologram which, for the first time,

could be viewed in light from an ordinary incandescent light bulb. Another major advance in display

holography occurred in 1968 when Dr. Stephen A. Benton invented white-light transmission holography

while researching holographic television at Polaroid Research Laboratories. In 1972 Lloyd Cross developed

the integral hologram by combining white-light transmission holography with conventional cinematography

to produce moving 3-dimensional images. Sequential frames of 2-D motion-picture footage of a rotating

subject are recorded on holographic film. When viewed, the composite images are synthesized by the

human brain as a 3-D image.

In 70's Victor Komar and his colleagues at the All-Union Cinema and Photographic Research Institute

(NIFKI) in Russia, developed a prototype for a projected holographic movie. Holographic artists have

greatly increased their technical knowledge of the discipline and now contribute to the technology as well as

the creative process. The art form has become international, with major exhibitions being held throughout

the world.
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2.Holography

Holography is a technique that enables a wavefront to be recorded and later re-constructed. Holography is

best known as a method of generating three-dimensional images, but it also has a wide range of other

applications. In principle, it is possible to make a hologram for any type of wave. It is a Class of methods for

recording and reconstructing the complete optical wavefront reflected from an object ,to recreate a 3-D

image on a photographic plate or film ,based on interference (wave optics).Holographic films are bunch of

interference pattern. It is the Process of producing holograms.Hologram means “entire picture” (Greek word

holo-whole,gramma means message). The Complete information including the intensity and phase

information (interference fringes) is recorded. It is Advanced form of photography. It is Also known as

‘lensless photography’.

3.Hologram

A hologram is a picture of a "whole" object, showing it in three dimensions. We've all seen cheap hologram

images on credit cards and ID cards (where they help prevent copying). Far more impressive are large

holograms that take the form of a ghostly 3-D moving figure that you can walk around to see from all

angles. Holograms were invented in 1947 but only perfected after the invention of the laser in 1960. Today

they're used in such technologies as compact-disc players and checkout scanners, and holograms can be

created of the inside of live internal organs to permit doctors to examine the organs in great detail. And

soon televisions with hologram technology may enable us to watch in "3-D".

A hologram is made by superimposing a second wavefront (normally called the reference beam) on the

wavefront of interest, thereby generating an interference pattern which is recorded on a physical medium.

When only the second wavefront illuminates the interference pattern, it is diffracted to recreate the original

wavefront. Holograms can also be computer generated by modelling the two wavefronts and adding them

together digitally. The resulting digital image is then printed onto a suitable mask or film and illuminated by a

suitable source to reconstruct the wavefront of interest. It has Completely 2-D films. It has the property of

Motion parallax( Motion parallax refers to the fact that objects moving at a constant speed across the frame

will appear to move a greater amount if they are closer to an observer (or camera) than they would if they
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were at a greater distance.). Stereoscopic view( Taken literally, stereoscopic vision describes the ability of

the visual brain to register a sense of three-dimensional shape and form from visual inputs. In current

usage, stereoscopic vision often refers uniquely to the sense of depth derived from the two eyes. )is a

property of holograms. Different angles give different perspective of the object. Divisible property : even if

the film is cut into half, each half contains the whole view of the object.

4.Working of a hologram

The working of hologram is divide into two:

1. Recording
2. Reconstruction

The hologram is recorded using a source of laser light, which is very pure in its color and orderly in its

composition. Various setups may be used, and several types of holograms can be made, but all involve the

interaction of light coming from different directions and producing a microscopic interference pattern which

a plate, film, or other medium photographically records.

In one common arrangement, the laser beam is split into two, one known as the object beam and the other

as the reference beam. The object beam is expanded by passing it through a lens and used to illuminate

the subject. The recording medium is located where this light, after being reflected or scattered by the

subject, will strike it. The edges of the medium will ultimately serve as a window through which the subject

is seen, so its location is chosen with that in mind. The reference beam is expanded and made to shine\

directly on the medium, where it interacts with the light coming from the subject to create the desired

interference pattern.

Like conventional photography, holography requires an appropriate exposure time to correctly affect the

recording medium. Unlike conventional photography, during the exposure the light source, the optical

elements, the recording medium, and the subject must all remain motionless relative to each other, to within

about a quarter of the wavelength of the light, or the interference pattern will be blurred and the hologram

spoiled. With living subjects and some unstable materials, that is only possible if a very intense and

extremely brief pulse of laser light is used, a hazardous procedure which is rarely done outside of scientific
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and industrial laboratory settings. Exposures lasting several seconds to several minutes, using a much

lower-powered continuously operating laser, are typical.

A hologram can be made by shining part of the light beam directly into the recording medium, and the other

part onto the object in such a way that some of the scattered light falls onto the recording medium. A more

flexible arrangement for recording a hologram requires the laser beam to be aimed through a series of

elements that change it in different ways. The first element is a beam splitter that divides the beam into two

identical beams, each aimed in different directions.

•One beam (known as the 'illumination' or 'object beam') is spread using lenses and directed onto the scene

using mirrors. Some of the light scattered (reflected) from the scene then falls onto the recording medium.

•The second beam (known as the 'reference beam') is also spread through the use of lenses, but is directed

so that it does not come in contact with the scene, and instead travels directly onto the recording medium.

Several different materials can be used as the recording medium. One of the most common is a film very

similar to photographic film (silver halide photographic emulsion), but with a much higher concentration of

light-reactive grains, making it capable of the much higher resolution that holograms require. A layer of this

recording medium (e.g., silver halide) is attached to a transparent substrate, which is commonly glass, but

may also be plastic.

When the two laser beams reach the recording medium, their light waves intersect and interfere with each

other. It is this interference pattern that is imprinted on the recording medium. The pattern itself is seemingly

random, as it represents the way in which the scene's light interfered with the original light source – but not

the original light source itself. The interference pattern can be considered an encoded of the scene,

requiring a particular key – the original light source – in order to view its contents.

This missing key is provided later by shining a laser, identical to the one used to record the hologram, onto

the developed film. When this beam illuminates the hologram, it is diffracted by the hologram's surface

pattern. This produces a light field identical to the one originally produced by the scene and scattered onto

the hologram.
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5.Recording a hologram

The recording of holograms is based on the phenomenon of interference. It requires a laser source, a plane

mirror or beam splitter, an object, and a photographic plate. A laser beam from the laser source is incident

on a plane mirror or beam splitter. As the name suggests, the function of the beam splitter is to split the

laser beam. One part of splitted beam, after reflection from the beam splitter, strikes on the photographic

plate. This beam is called a reference beam. While other part of splitted beam (transmitted from beam

splitter) strikes on the photographic plate after suffering reflection from the various points of the object. This

beam is called an object beam. The object beam reflected from the object interferes with the reference

beam when both the beams reach the photographic plate. The superposition of these two beams produces

an interference pattern (in the form of dark and bright fringes) and this pattern is recorded on the

photographic plate. The photographic plate with a recorded interference pattern is called a hologram. The

photographic plate is also known as the Gabor zone plate in honor of Denis Gabor who developed the

phenomenon of holography.

Each and every part of the hologram receives light from various points of the object. Thus, even if the

hologram is broken into parts, each part is capable of reconstructing the whole object.

Figure: Recording process in holography: Construction of Hologram

credits: Illuminating Light : An Optical Design Tool with a Luminous-Tangible Interface
John Underkoffler and Hiroshi Ishii

MIT Media Laboratory Cambridge, MA

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6.Why lasers?

As recording process in holography is based on the principle of interference. For recording and for

sustained interference, the path difference between various interfering light waves should always be less

than the longitudinal coherence length. For ordinary light sources like mercury the coherence length is very

small (≈3cm). The path difference introduced between light waves reflected from different points of an

object can be much more than this value. Thus interference patterns cannot be recorded. While coherence

length for laser source can be as high as 600 km. As a result, sustained interference patterns will be

recorded on the hologram. Thus holograms cannot be made without a laser source.

Further, if a hologram is reconstructed using ordinary light, then the reference beam, converging rays

(forming real image), and diverging rays (forming virtual image), all will be in the same direction. This

creates a problem in observing the three-dimensional images, as we have to see through the other two

beams. Holography using ordinary light is called ‘Inline Holography’. If a Laser source is used instead, then

the three emerging beams will be in different directions. This is called ‘Off-Line Holography’. It allows us to

observe one kind of beam at a time. This is the reason that a laser is needed in holography.

7.Reconstruction of hologram

In the reconstruction process, the hologram is illuminated by a laser beam and this beam is called a

reconstruction beam. This beam is identical to the reference beam used in the construction of the hologram.

The hologram acts as a diffraction grating. This reconstruction beam will undergo a phenomenon of

diffraction during passage through the hologram. The reconstruction beam after passing through the

hologram produces a real as well as a virtual image of the object. One of the diffracted beams emerging

from the hologram appears to diverge from an apparent object when projected back. Thus, a virtual image

is formed behind the hologram at the original site of the object and a real image in front of the hologram.

Thus an observer sees light waves diverging from the virtual image and the image is identical to the object.

If the observer moves round the virtual image then other sides of the object which were not noticed earlier
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would be observed. Therefore, the virtual image exhibits all the true three-dimensional characteristics. The

real image can be recorded on a photographic plate.

Figure: Reconstruction process in Holography

credits: Illuminating Light : An Optical Design Tool with a Luminous-Tangible Interface
John Underkoffler and Hiroshi Ishii

MIT Media Laboratory Cambridge, MA

8.Types of hologram

A. Transmission hologram

• Same frequency of laser light used to record and view the hologram.

• The light is diffracted from behind the hologram and is transmitted to the observers’ side.

• Object beam and reference beam hits the same side of the film .

• Fringes recorded in the film are perpendicular to the surface of the film Poor at filtering different

wavelengths .

• Replaying with white light creates chromatic blur .

B. Reflection hologram

• Object beam and reference beam hits different sides of the film .

• Reconstructed image reflecting back off the surface of the film .

• Light source coming from the front side of the film .

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• Fringes recorded in the film are parallel to the surface of the film .

• Filters out different wavelength; replays the color needed for the image .

• White light source or sunlight can be used to replay clear images.

C. Hybrid hologram

• Combination of both the reflection and transmission holograms

9.Applications of Holography

Although it would obviously be attractive to replace conventional two-dimensional photography and videos

with holographic 3D imaging, the stringent requirements which are typical for holographic techniques are

still strongly limiting the range of practical applications. Even after decades of development, we seem to be

far from using holographic 3D color photographs in consumer applications or high-quality volumetric

displays. Nevertheless, some applications have already been established; some examples:

• There are security holograms e.g. for passports, ID cards and credit cards, which are essentially used for

making it substantially more difficult to produce convincing illegal copies, since the required replicating

technology is hard to procure and expensive, and the details of the required hologram are difficult to

measure.

• Despite the typical image imperfections, holograms can be attractive as pieces of art.

• For research purposes, holographic images of tiny objects can be made not only with light, but also with

coherent X-rays, as can be generated with free electron lasers.

In the future, holography may serve for high density data storage. In contrast to currently used optical

storage media, where only a thin two-dimensional layer is utilized, holographic memories could store data in

a 3D fashion, potentially reaching enormous storage capacities within quite limited volumes. However,

developing practical implementations remains a substantial challenge.

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10.Photography vs Holography

PHOTOGRAPHY HOLOGRAPHY

2D recording process 3D recording process

Ordinary light can be used Only laser light can be used (monochromatic and
coherent)

Lens system Lensless photography

Image has poor resolution Very high resolution

Phenomenon used is reflection of light by the object Phenomenon used in holography is interference and
to the photographic film diffraction of light

Photography has less information capacity than Holography has high information capacity (both
holography (only intensity is recorded) intensity and phase informations are recorded)

Multiple images can’t be superimposed together Multiple images can be superimposed together

Table.1:comparison between photography and holography

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11.Advantages

Following are the benefits or advantages of 3D Hologram:

➨It is very cost effective solution to make and to hire.

➨It has higher storage capacity compare to other methods.

➨It delivers enhanced feasibility of objects including depth.

➨They are complex patterns and hence offers security in wide applications as mentioned above.

➨It offers creation of multiple images on single plate including 3D images.

➨Holographic technologies can be easily combined with other technologies.

➨It does not require special glasses to view and can be viewed from any angle.

➨It does not require any projection screen.

12.Disadvantages

Following are the drawbacks or disadvantages of 3D Hologram:

➨It has higher production cost compare to 2D projection.

➨It is not easily seen in the presence of fluorescent lighting.

➨Use of applying the concept of holographic projection in the design of products are costly.

➨It is time consuming to construct images using 3D holograms.

➨Holographic data storage suffers from noise and sensitivity issues. Moreover it has material limitations.
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13.CONCLUSION

Holography may still be in its infant stage, but its potentials applications are aspiring. Holographic

Technology and Spectral Imagining has endless applications, as far as the human mind can imagine.

Holography being the closest display technology to our real environment may just be the right

substitute when reality fails. With holography, educational institutions may become a global village

sooner that people thought, where information and expertise are within reach. Knowledge sharing

and mobility will only cost a second and learning will become more captivating and interactive. First,

there is an urgent need to address the infrastructural deficiencies limiting the application of

holography in education. More interestingly, the display medium of holography is very important. A 360

viewing angle is especially what is needed to maximize the use of holography in education. Being able to

display a 3D hologram in free air is also vital, because interacting with holograms in a covered

display may be cumbersome. In order not to limit the use of holography to a non-interactive display

medium, incorporation with feedback technologies is mandatory. The haptic technology which makes it

possible to touch and manipulate virtual object is especially important. As the field of haptics

continues to grow and integrates with holography, interaction with holograms becomes limitless. In future,

holographic displays will be replacing all present displays in all sizes, from small phone screen to large

projectors.
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14.REFERENCES

1. Ahmed Elmorshidy, Ph.D ; “Holographic Projection Technology: The World is Changing.”; JOURNAL OF
TELECOMMUNICATIONS, VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2,
MAY 2010

2. Thomas J. Naughton; “Capture, processing, and display of real-world 3D objects

using digital holography”; 2010 IEEE Invited Paper

3. Takayuki Hoshi, Masafumi Takahashi, Kei Nakatsuma; “Touchable Holography”;

The University of Tokyo; 2009

4. Stephan Reichelt, Ralf Haussler, Norbert Leister, Gerald Futterer, Hagen Stolle and
Armin Schwerdtner; “Holographic 3-D Displays - Electro-holography within the
Grasp of Commercialization”; Advances in Lasers and Electro Optics (April 2010)