Surface relief formation in amorphous chalcogenide thin films during holographic recording

This report present the studies of direct holographic recording of the surface relief gratings on amorphous As2S3 films by 532 nm laser light. By giving extra time for recording exposure (more than necessary for volume amplitude-phase optical recording, e.g. Kikineshi, 2000 [2]), changes of surface relief in the resist material can be observed. This direct surface relief formation phenomenon during holographic recording is discussed here from the side of recording light polarization. Efficiency of the relief formation may also depend on softening temperature of the film material and this influence was studied as well by using additional incoherent light for extra exposure during recording. The results show several times larger grating efficiency during recording in case of extra exposure by additional incoherent light. Also the mechanism of the direct recording of surface relief on amorphous chalcogenide films based on the photoinduced plasticity has been discussed.