What is a Hologram?

Hologram is a Greek word and it means “the whole record”. Instead of photography hologram is carrying all volume and energy information about the object. Hologram is saving information not only about the amplitude of the each point of incident on the photosensitive plate wave (light energy distribution on the object), but the information about the wave phase (distance from each object point to the registration plate).
During the hologram registration in the photosensitive layer registries an interference picture producing by summing of the two coherent rays - one from object and the other one from the laser. An interference picture on the photosensitive plate is in fact complicated diffraction grating. The size of the holographic relief structure is comparing with the wavelength of the laser radiation. There is no copying technique to echo this resolution.
The image that we see is creating due to the different orientation angle of diffraction grating on the photosensitive plate different parts. The hologram colors are changing constantly accordingly to the source of light position.
Besides the describing (classical) method of recording there is a digital holography. The digital method is consists of creating the hologram model by using digital technologies and further recording on special equipment creating image file. This process can be compared with the image construction on the computer screen by pixels. During the recording each image element on the photosensitive layer is an interference picture of two laser beams. These beams are generating by dividing the primary laser beam. Using in HoloGrate,JSC Company equipment for the digital hologram recording can record hologram with resolution from 150 dpi to 1300 dpi.
Digital recording allows to get some special effects increasing the image attraction and giving a unique security properties as well.
The HoloGrate, JSC company is producing the combine holograms, when the hologram consists from the image recorded on classical method and image with digital record. Combining of these technologies increases the security of the hologram.
In holography the electron beam record is using also. In these case the diffraction grating grooves are writing by the electron beam.
Possibility to write information in the volume on the different wavelengths in visible, infrared and ultraviolet regions give different ways to code information and the chance to decode it is very few.

Holograms application

• Holographic marks are on the visa of many countries. Holographic marks are on the notary documents in many countries (Germany, Latvian) and on transport ticket and on carriers (Finland, Latvian, Ukraine). Holographic marks protect the assurances (Israel)
• The leading world producers of software such as Microsoft, Lotus, Borland protect their products from pirates.
• The producers of watches such as Citizen, Casio, Orient, Samsung use holographic marks for the visualization of their authenticity.
• World standard requires the presence of hologram on risk-free plastic cards such as American Express, Visa. Many banks and aircompanies use the pass systems based on the holographic descriptors of authenticity.
• Holographic seals are used widely. They are used in warranty service of high-end technology, as example in the chips of American Megatrends Inc.
• Holographic package attracts attention and increases sales volumes. Also holographic package allows to increase security characteristics of marketing products.
  

Holographic Effects

MultiLight

2-D hologram consists of areas with the different color effects. All colors change successively with the change of vision angle. Under definite vision angle the color relation can be predetermined by customer. RunLine 2-D hologram that generates the effect of running wave or line by the changing of horizontal vision angle.

StereoGramm

Classic 3-D hologram. It generates the image of the real object presence. An observer can see the turning of object by the changing of horizontal vision angle. Hologram has got color properties. Colors can be predetermined by customer.

MultiPlans

3-D hologram that combines the MultiLight and RunLine effects. It is completed with the effects of volume images which can be disposed up the flat of hologram or behind the one. The images can be colored in any color or in white. By the horizontal turning of hologram observer can see the displacement of images relative to each other or to carrier.

HoloCombi

The combination of 2-D and 3-D holograms with many effects.