We propose a new formula to describe the dynamics of holographic grating formation under the low intensity pulse exposures in cationic photopolymers, in which the dark reaction contributes dominantly to the grating strength. The formula is based on the living polymerization mechanism and the diffusion-free approximation. The analytical solution indicates that the grating formation time depends on the termination rate constant, while the final grating strength depends linearly on the total exposure energy. The theoretical predictions are verified experimentally using the Aprilis HMC-400 mu m photopolymer. The results can provide guidelines for the control optimization of the holographic recording condition in practical applications.
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