A three-color, three-dimensional, solid-state display

The display of three-dimensional, dynamical, colored scenes in real time and under virtually any viewing angle was recently reported. The physical principles of this novel, recently published technique that allows simultaneous viewing by many people are reviewed. The construction of the prototype display is outlined, in which the image appears inside a volume of heavy-metal fluoride glass doped with rare-earth ions. Luminescent spots are addressed by intersecting infrared laser beams, leading to fluorescence in the visible.