Single femtosecond exposure recording of an image hologram by spectral hole burning in an unstable tautomer of a phthalocyanine derivative.

We demonstrate, for what we believe is the first time, recording of a femtosecond image hologram by illumination with a single pair of high-intensity femtosecond pulses in a broad inhomogeneous bandwidth spectral hole-burning material consisting of a polymer film doped with anthraceno-phthalocyanine dye molecules. High efficiency of spectral hole burning is achieved by preillumination of the sample at a low temperature to convert the dye molecules into an unstable tautomer form.