Reflection holograms in sillenite crystals for double-exposure interferometry

Holographic recording in reflection geometry offers high lateral image resolution (necessary to analyze microscopically structured objects, e.g. biological cellular structures) and a compact and simple setup (Denisyuk holography). Our aim is to combine this high resolution three-dimensional imaging with holographic double-exposure interferometry to allow the analysis of a dynamic process on the microscopic scale. We derive analytic expressions for gain and diffraction efficiency valid for arbitrary optical activity (and thus not only for Bi12SiO20 but also for Bi12TiO20 crystals). The theoretical predictions agree convincingly both with the experimental data published in [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 14 (1997) 1179] and with our experimental data. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.