Laser light-induced physical processes in optical materials: Persistent spectral hole-burning

Persistent spectral hole-burning (PHB) is a photoinduced process in low temperature solids that may lead to a possible future application, frequency domain optical storage. The feasibility of such a data storage device depends critically upon having recording materials that undergo spectral hole-burning with certain well-defined characteristics. It is a stimulating challenge for the laser spectroscopist, photochemist, and physicist to find suitable materials and to devise detection techniques that make this application possible.