A phase volume hologram and a method for producing the phase volume hologram
are
described herein. The phase volume hologram is made by filling the microcavities
of a porous transparent siliceous body with a polymerisable composition (e.g.,
liquid monomer or monomer/oligomer mixture). The filled siliceous body then has
a hologram interference pattern recorded therein using a laser light that in conformity
with the hologram interference pattern converts the polymerisable composition into
a polymerized material (solid-phase polymer) and a non-polymerized material. In
particular, the polymerized material has a volume fraction in the microcavities
that is close to 1 in the vicinity of a maxima of the recorded interference pattern
and close to 0 in the vicinity of a minima of the recorded interference pattern.
Thereafter, the non-polymerized material is removed from the siliceous body which
now resembles the phase volume hologram.
