Abstract

We show, theoretically and experimentally, that the buildup of the space-charge field in photorefractive crystals is far from monoexponential for circular light beams. This is a general property of the two-dimensional (2D) case, in contrast to the one-dimensional case. The results form a basis for determination of the photoelectric parameters of photorefractive crystals within a wide intensity range, which is important, e.g., for solving of the optical-damage problem in $\mathrm{Li}\mathrm{Nb}{\mathrm{O}}_3$ and $\mathrm{Li}\mathrm{Ta}{\mathrm{O}}_3$ crystals.

© 2009 Optical Society of America

Dynamics of holographic recording with focused beams in iron-doped lithium niobate crystals

F. Kalkum, K. Peithmann, and K. Buse
Opt. Express 17(3) 1321-1329 (2009)

Polarization and configuration dependence of beam self-focusing in photorefractive LiNbO₃

J. Safioui, M. Chauvet, F. Devaux, V. Coda, F. Pettazzi, M. Alonzo, and E. Fazio
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 26(3) 487-492 (2009)

Photorefractive coupling between orthogonally polarized light beams in barium titanate

R. M. Pierce and R. S. Cudney
Opt. Lett. 17(11) 784-786 (1992)

Collision and fusion of counterpropagating micrometer-sized optical beams in periodically biased photorefractive crystals

A. Ciattoni, A. Marini, C. Rizza, and E. DelRe
Opt. Lett. 34(7) 911-913 (2009)

Recording and erasure kinetics in photorefractive materials at large modulation depths

E. Serrano, Vicente López, M. Carrascosa, and F. Agulló-López
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 11(4) 670-675 (1994)