High intensity behavior of pyroelectric photorefractive self-focusing in LiNbO3

Jassem Safioui (1) , Fabrice Devaux (2) , Kien Phan Huy (2) , Mathieu Chauvet (2)

1 OPERA - Optics, Photonics, Electromagnetism, Radio-Communications and Acoustics
2 FEMTO-ST - Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174)

The formation of self-confined beams using pyroelectric effect is numerically and experimentally studied in photorefractive LiNbO3. For a given crystal temperature change, the trapped beam width is shown to be less efficient as intensity is increased. Numerical calculations reveal that the induced refractive-index profile varies along propagation for large intensities due to a nonlinear photovoltaic effect. Moreover, it eventually gives beam splitting for intensities greater than a threshold intensity that depends on LiNbO3 composition.

Domaines: Optique / photonique; Optique [physics.optics]

Jassem Safioui, Fabrice Devaux, Kien Phan Huy, Mathieu Chauvet. High intensity behavior of pyroelectric photorefractive self-focusing in LiNbO3. Optics Communications, 2013, 294, pp.294 - 298. ⟨10.1016/j.optcom.2012.12.069⟩. ⟨hal-00878963⟩