“Photosensitive Glass Changes Light Properties to Create Holograms,” Dr. Leon Glebov’s hologram work celebrated as one of top 100 technological breakthroughs.

For Leon Glebov, Ph.D., and Larissa Glebova holographic imaging boils down to one of the most common yet powerful materials on the earth — glass. The Glebovs, scientists at the University of Central Florida College of Optics & Photonics, developed a new method of writing microscopic holograms or pathways into glass that can direct light to perform specific functions. 

The invention came after years of research at the renowned Vavilov State Optical Institute of St. Petersburg, Russia, and refined at UCF. The hologram provides a pathway and direction for the light beams that pass through it and, in the case of the Globovs’ work, can actually change some of the properties of the light. Holograms also have applications in a variety of commercial uses including cutting, welding and drilling processes in the automotive, aerospace and ship industries. 

Most consumers recognize holograms as the reflective logos on credit cards, but few realize the amount of data contained in those images. Holograms are full of information about the size, shape and brightness of the object being recorded. Laser light records the data, and incoming light unlocks the image for the viewer. Holograms make it possible to control laser beams and store large amounts of data and have archival potential superior to compact discs and photographic film. 

Glebov applied to UCF’s Technology Incubator and received office space for his new company, originally called Light Processing Technologies Inc. and recently renamed OptiGrate Inc. He entered into a partnership with UCF for an exclusive license of the core technology. Since its founding in 1999, the UCF Technology Incubator — a collaboration of UCF, Orange County, the City of Orlando, the Florida High Tech Corridor Council and the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission — has helped more than 870 emerging technology companies create more than $1.5 billion in revenue and approximately 600 jobs