Abstract

The propagation characteristics of a focused laser beam in a SBN:75 photorefractive crystal strongly depend on the signal-to-background intensity ratio ($R=I_s/I_b$) under reverse external electric field. In the range $20>R>0.05$, the laser beam shows enhanced self-defocusing behavior with increasing external electric field, while it shows self-focusing in the range $0.03>R>0.01$. Spatial solitons are observed under a suitable reverse external electric field for $R=0.025$. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the experimental observations, which suggest a new type of soliton formation due to “enhancement” not “screening” of the external electrical field.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

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