Holographic images reconstructed from GMR-based fringe pattern

¹ NHK Science & Technology Research Laboratories, 1-10-11 Kinuta, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8510, Japan
² National Institute of Advanced Industrial and Science Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8561, Japan
³ Department of Electrical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, 940-2188, Japan
⁴ Department of Materials Sciences and Technology, Nagaoka University of Technology, 940-2188, Japan

Abstract

We have developed a magneto-optical spatial light modulator (MOSLM) using giant magneto-resistance (GMR) structures for realizing a holographic three-dimensional (3D) display. For practical applications, reconstructed image of hologram consisting of GMR structures should be investigated in order to study the feasibility of the MOSLM. In this study, we fabricated a hologram with GMR based fringe-pattern and demonstrated a reconstructed image. A fringe-pattern convolving a crossshaped image was calculated by a conventional binary computer generated hologram (CGH) technique. The CGH-pattern has 2,048 × 2,048 with 5 μm pixel pitch. The GMR stack consists of a Tb-Fe-Co/CoFe pinned layer, a Ag spacer, a Gd-Fe free layer for light modulation, and a Ru capping layer, was deposited by dc-magnetron sputtering. The GMR hologram was formed using photo-lithography and Krion milling processes, followed by the deposition of a Tb-Fe-Co reference layer with large coercivity and the same Kerr-rotation angle compared to the free layer, and a lift-off process. The reconstructed image of the ON-state was clearly observed and successfully distinguished from the OFF-state by switching the magnetization direction of the free-layer with an external magnetic field. These results indicate the possibility of realizing a holographic 3D display by the MOSLM using the GMR structures.