Because this issue journal is dedicated to Gelatin, here we present a few applications of gelatin in the field of optics. Optics is the science that studies the production, propagation, interaction and detection of light. Various materials sensitive to light (photosensitive) are used for detection of light, such as photomultipliers, CCDs, crystals, two dimensional (2D) materials and more. Among the 2D materials, the most popular for several centuries has been gelatin based photographic emulsion, which records spatial distributions of light. More recently (1970), films made of Gelatin with Dichromate (DCG) and dyes have been used. We describe some characteristics and applications of these two photosensitive materials. We also describe examples where gelatin is used as a Relative Humidity (RH) sensor and in the fabrication of optical elements based on gelatin. This article is intended for researchers outside the optics community.

Results of experiments on the influence exerted by UV radiation on the height of the surface relief and on the diffraction efficiency of holographic diffraction gratings recorded on dichromated gelatin layers are reported. It is shown that the height of the surface relief substantially increases, which leads to a rise in the diffraction efficiency of the gratings to a value exceeding 25%.

The formation of diffusers and microlens rasters on silver halide emulsions by holographic methods is considered. Two techniques for converting amplitude holographic recording to relief-phase recording, selective curing and irradiation of the emulsion gelatin by short-wavelength UV radiation, are compared.

The possibility of the transfer of a holographic structure that was originally registered on layers of dichromated gelatin (DCG) onto a substrate material of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been...

A method for formation of optical scatterers based on multiplex holograms is proposed. The synthesis of complicated holographic structures that scatter the incident radiation in a solid angle is theoretically analyzed. A significant effect of the methods for profiling of the surface of the silver halide photolayer on the characteristics of high-efficiency diffusers is experimentally demonstrated.