The disclosure provides recording materials include fluorene derivatized monomers and polymers for use in volume Bragg gratings, including, but not limited to, volume Bragg gratings for holography applications. Several fluorene structures are disclosed: simply substituted fluorenes, cardo-fluorenes, and spiro-fluorenes. Fluorene derivatized polymers in Bragg gratings applications lead to materials with higher refractive index, low birefringence, and high transparency. Fluorene derivatized monomers/polymers can be used in any volume Bragg gratings materials, including two-stage polymer materials where a matrix is cured in a first step, and then the volume Bragg grating is written by way of a second curing step of a monomer.