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chemistry confusion

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 9:46 am
by ErikB
Recently I managed to get a second hand HeNe laser from a school. They say it is usable for holography and they have made spme holograms with it. It is also in working order (20mw).
After browsing the holowiki and the internet, I bought some PFG-01 plates. However, when I kept reading the holowiki, I got immensly confused about the required developer/bleach. On the list are many possibilities, but they seem to depend on type of film and type of hologram being used/made.

I am planning on starting with "simple" 1 beam denisyuks, but I would also like my hand at 2/multibeam transmissions (got the optics and anti-vibration sollution). The plates itself can be used for both types of holograms, but what about the chemicals. Can I use, for example, the integraf JD2 kit for both types? I also read that if you use the JD3 kit, the final color turns out more yellowish. Would both the JD2 and 3 kits work with the PFG-01 reflection and transmission holograms?
And what about H1 to H2? would the same developer/bleach still work and why would one do a H1 to H2? Is it just to copy a very nice hologram or is it a way to produce different kind of holograms not possible with other methodes?

Reason I am mentioning the integraf stuff is availability. Here it is kind of difficult to get some of the needed chemicals in sizeable amounts or at descent prices. A ready to go kit would be very useful. Some chemicals, like EDTA and TEA are impossible to get for normal prices and/or amount.

Thanks for your time,

Erik

chemistry confusion

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:06 am
by Ed Wesly
Surprised that not everyone is all over your question. The main difference between the JD 2 and 3 kits is in the bleach. The developer is the same for both.

With JD-2, the bleach is what is knowns as a silver solvent, or reversal bleach, or a dichromate bleach. When making reflection holograms with this chemistry, the color of the final hologram is not the same color as the laser that was used to record it, usually resulting in green if exposed to a red laser.

The JD-3 is the same developer, but with a bleach that is called rehalogenating, meaning it puts the halogens back into the developed silver, which has the benefit of keeping the color of the finished reflection hologram the same as the laser's color. So it's up to you to decide if you want color shifting or not in your final holo.

Either process will work for transmission holograms, some might quibble over the details, but you will get bright enough holograms with either chemistry as long as you have stability.

For more details, check out the Wiki on this web site, and the papers that I wrote that are in the start up page:

http://holographyforum.org/files/

Good luck!

chemistry confusion

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:58 pm
by ErikB
Thanks for the reply. First of all, the holowiki is a very handy site for info. The problem though, is that there is so much info on there, it is very complex for a beginner. Just look at the silverhalide proccesing formulae page. More then 30 posibilities are mentioned, but most without a difference mentioned. So it is perfect for looking up the formulae, but for making a choice between them, I need(ed) your help. And since you say both are suitable, I will try the JD2, since it will make greenish holograms, which I can postswell to yellow with sugar/sorbitol. Preswelling with TEA is not possible due to the very high cost of TEA (where I live).

If I could try your patience once more, would you recommend a different kind of film instead of PFG-01 with a HeNe laser. Personally I think the ultimates are too expensive at my current level and the bb640 requires TEA to sensitise them...

Thank.

chemistry confusion

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 3:35 pm
by Jem
ErikB wrote:bb640 requires TEA to sensitise them...
Not strictly true, I have found it seems to depend on the age of the plates.

If you are using new(ish) plates they work pretty well straight out of the box. If they are older (over 12 months) a pre-sensitising soak in a weak solution of TEA and a few drops of photoflo works wonders.

You may find that without a pre-soak you just have to increase your exposure times a little. You mention that you have vibration isolation so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Cheers

Jem

chemistry confusion

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 6:16 pm
by The_Stranger
Would it be a good idea if he uses the TJ1 developer? I did some searching in the old posts and apparently that developer is easy to make, using easy to obtain chemicals, solving 1 of his problems. But one part of the developer is quite caustic, don't know if that is bad and the other part reacts with air quite quickly, so you need a sollution for that.

Together with this developer a rehalogenating bleach was mentioned in some topics. I think it is in the wiki as "safe ferric brillant bleach".

Would that be a nice combo for both the PFG-01 and the bb's?

chemistry confusion

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:35 pm
by Colin Kaminski
For PFG-01 I have found D-19 is a simple developer that is available everywhere. Now I pick bleach on safety as much as performance.

chemistry confusion

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:55 am
by ErikB
Back from a vacation, would like to thank for the replies. But That also raises a question. I managed to borrow a copy of the great "Saxbi - holography" book, which clearly states that D-19 is excellent for transmission holo's, but for reflection a lot less, producing "feeble green images, which replay at wrong angles"
I know that color can be shifted by a sugar solution, but I am worried about that angle thing and whether the images are, apart from the colour, of sufficient quality and sharpness. (talking about 1 beam reflections/denisyuks)

chemistry confusion

Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:35 pm
by MichaelH
ErikB wrote:Back from a vacation, would like to thank for the replies. But That also raises a question. I managed to borrow a copy of the great "Saxbi - holography" book, which clearly states that D-19 is excellent for transmission holo's, but for reflection a lot less, producing "feeble green images, which replay at wrong angles"
I know that color can be shifted by a sugar solution, but I am worried about that angle thing and whether the images are, apart from the colour, of sufficient quality and sharpness. (talking about 1 beam reflections/denisyuks)
Erik, unfortunately you've got to keep in mind that there's no single right way and no single wrong way to develop a hologram.

The chemistries change depending on the material and there's typically a lot of latitude in chemicals used, concentrations and time in them.

For example, I've gotten decent (highly subjective) results using D-19 with PFG-01 for both transmission and reflection holograms.

chemistry confusion

Posted: Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:52 am
by JohnFP
Sorry to post this off topic, but it it good hearing from you again Michael. We've missed you. :wink:

chemistry confusion

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:15 am
by MichaelH
JohnFP wrote:Sorry to post this off topic, but it it good hearing from you again Michael. We've missed you. :wink:
Thanks. Same here.