of memory within the recording medium are needed the present invention provides apparatus and methods that integrate data encoding and decoding functions into a compact optical assembly with electrical interfaces fig2 is a schematic diagram of a basic prototypical holographic memory system 200 according to the present invention incorporating a first embodiment of the solid optical interconnection structure of the invention system 200 demonstrates the advantages of solid optical packaging as well as the usefulness of liquid crystal devices for this application the prototype provides a compact efficient optical interconnect with relaxed alignment tolerances system 200 provides two paths leading to different angles in a holographic memory as shown in fig2 system 200 comprises beamsplitters 202 liquid crystal cells 204 polarizers 206 and holographic memory plate 208 in operation the liquid crystal cells are actuated to selectively polarize input beam 210 and transmit a portion of beam 210 as first reference beam 212 or second reference beam 214 the output of the holographic memory as a result of applying the first or second reference beams is signal beam 216 representing an image stored in the memory at an angle associated with either first reference beam 212 or second reference beam 214 the assembled system 200 as shown in fig2 measures 8 9 cm u00d7 3 8 cm and has a 1 cm 2 optical aperture the device 39 s assembly is straightforward beamsplitters 202 liquid crystal cells 204 and polarizers 206 are connected as solid optical pathways using a combination of optical gel and index matching fluid once placed in its housing the system is easily transported and rarely requires realignment in experimental use this system successfully recorded two angularly multiplexed.