Folded shift multiplexing.

Shift multiplexing is a holographic recording method that uses a spherical reference wave. We extend the principle to a thin slab of holographic material that acts as a waveguide. Total internal reflection folds the reference spherical beam in one dimension. We demonstrate that the shift selectivity with the folded spherical beam is independent of the slab thickness but depends instead on the numerical aperture of the coupled spherical wave. A shift selectivity of 0.5 microm has been achieved with a 1-mm-thick LiNbO3 crystal and 50 high-definition data pages are recorded with this method.