1. What is hologram?

•  “Hologram” is a term coined after physicists Gabor and Rogers had invented the optical holography in 1948, i.e. holographic record and reconstruction of wave-front.

Holography is the technology of recording and reconstructing true 3-D image, which is called “hologram”. Unlike other images, the hologram offers “parallax”. The existence of parallax enables observers to observe the different shapes of the image by moving in a horizontal or vertical direction – it seems a real object exists there. Holography may be applied to the following fields: holographic display, holographic storage, holographic elements, holographic interferometry, etc.

•  The new industry of holographic display: the invention of the holography makes the phenomenon become the demodulation mode of complicated wave-surface coding (Hologram), thereby fulfilling the functions of creating virtual space, managing visible light wave, beautifying visible light field and creating holographic color, giving birth to the new industry of holographic display with the basic theory of wave optics, the core technology of display holography and the representation of diffraction light field.

2. The Brief History of Development of Holography

•  1948: British scientist Gabor (native of Hungary ) invented holography and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

•  1962: American scientists Leith , Upatnieks and Denisyuk invented off-axis holographic technique and reflection holography respectively, realizing the wave-front reconstruction of 3-D object.

•  1962-1969: the research and development of hologram raised its first round of climax surrounding cost reduction and bright white-light reconstruction, during which the first batch of scientists, engineers and artists showing zeal for the display holography emerged.

•  1969: Stephen Benton, who was a physicist of the American Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), invented the "rainbow" holography, raising another climax in the holographic 3-D display with the characteristics of white-light display, giving birth to the embossing holographic industry that was popular across the world and brought on the revolution in printing and packaging with the tenet of anti-counterfeiting.

•  1970-1980: the number of scientists, engineers and artists, who were keen on display holography and headed by Stephen Benton increased gradually, at the same time, the techniques and equipments batch copying hologram in manner of embossing were coming into maturity step by step.

•  1980-1985: in 1984, the ABNH Company produced 3-D carved eagle hologram for the cover of American NATIONAL GEOGRAPHICS and embossing holographic anti-counterfeiting label for the credit card of VISA MASTER, indicating the commencement of anti-counterfeit-centered embossing holographic industry.

•  The research of display holography became more rationalized and academic. Benton established the MIT MEDIA LAB in 1984 and concentrated on the research of display holographic technologies; in 1982, TJ (Mr. Zhang Hanzhong) promoted the first ISDH---INTERNATIOAL SYMPOSIUM OF DISPLAY HOLOGRAPHY in the Lake Forest, U.S.A; the 80-year old Xu Daxiong, who is a professor of the Beijing University of Posts and Communications and an academician, has attended the conference for several times. Xu Daxiong has been praised as China's ambassador of display holography; BENTON also set up a SPIE branch in 1986; large quantities of zealous researchers of display holography mushroomed with the following outstanding representatives: Prof. Yu Meiwen of the former Beijing Institute of Industry, Prof. Xu Daxiong of the former Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Prof. Jiang Yaguang of the Suzhou University, Prof. Guo Lurong of the Sichuan University, etc. In 1984, the first Chinese display holography exhibition was held in Beijing .

1986-1990: the embossing holography has been introduced into China ; in 1986, the first international display holography exhibition held by the Chinese own made a stir in Beijing . Qingdao Qimei Image Co., Ltd. and Reflective Materials Plant of Shenzhen University were founded successively, taking the first step of Chinese industry of embossing holography, starting the course of industrialization of the first round of display holography centering on anti-counterfeiting.

•  1991-1995: an upsurge of investment in laser holographic anti-counterfeiting label production line has been stirred up in China . In 1993, IHMA (INTERNATIONAL HOLOGRAM MANUFACTURER ASSOCIATION) was founded, signaling that the embossing holography has been industrialized and flourished globally. MIT has made a great breakthrough in terms of the basic researches of digital holography. Almost all of the researches in display holography have been involved in the industrialization of the embossing holography, thereby causing the stagnancy to occurr.

•  1996-2000: on one hand, the Chinese market was flooded with laser holographic anti-counterfeiting labels, thereby ruining the public confidence gradually; on the other hand, the embossing holography began to develop towards wide-format printing and packaging materials. In 1996, ZEBRA IMAGE was founded, taking the preemptive opportunities in the field of digital holography. In 1999, AFC was founded; the company firmly grasped the research and development of the holographic display to pursue excellence at all costs.

•  2001-2005: the combinative industry of embossing holography and printing grew vigorously in China ; China has grown into the center of anti-counterfeiting printing and packaging industry of the whole world. In 2005, the tenth annual meeting of IHMA holographic printing & packaging was held in Shenzhen Wuzhou Guest House, acquiring unprecedented success.

•  In July 2006, the seventh International Display Holography Academic Conference was held in British North Wales . The conference was held surrounding the following 3 topics: digital holography (including digital holographic printing devices and digital holographic information acquisition system), silver-halide material and color display. Academician Xu Daxiong and Dr. Fan Cheng attended the conference.