Open AccessAnalysis of photorefractive optical damage in lithium niobate: application to planar waveguides
Author(s) -
Javier Villarroel,
J. Carnicero,
F. Luedtke,
M. Carrascosa,
A. GarcíaCabañes,
Jesús Hernández Cabrera,
A. Alcázar,
B. Ramiro
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.020852
Subject(s) - photorefractive effect , lithium niobate , optics , planar , materials science , grating , refractive index , wavefront , beam (structure) , nonlinear optics , diffraction grating , optoelectronics , light beam , physics , laser , computer graphics (images) , computer science
Photorefractive optical damage of single beams in LiNbO(3) crystals is analyzed within a framework of two photoactive centres (Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) and Nb(Li) (4+)/Nb(Li) (5+)). It compares model simulations and significant experimental measurements in LiNbO(3) waveguides. A good agreement is found in the performed comparisons: photovoltaic currents, refractive index changes and, especially relevant, in degraded beam-profiles. The progress of the degraded wavefront has been simulated by implementing a finite-difference beam-propagating method which includes the model equations. These results, together with previous ones on grating recording, provide a comprehensive, satisfactory explanation of most important questions on photorefractive optical damage.