Patent ID: 7548358

Claim:
A method for use with a storage medium that holographically stores information, the method comprising the following steps of: generating a coherent light beam that is a reproduction of a reference beam used in holographically storing information in the storage medium, wherein during the storing of the information, the reference beam passed through the storage medium at a particular location and angle and from a first side to a second side of the storage medium; directing the coherent light beam towards the first side to pass through the storage medium from the first side to the second side to provide a directed coherent beam; reflecting the directed coherent beam towards the second side to thereby provide a phase conjugate of the reference beam that passes through the storage medium from the second side to the first side at the same location and angle as the reference beam; and changing a polarization of the directed coherent beam prior to the directed coherent beam passing through the storage medium from the second side to the first side.