Investigation of the photorefractive effect in lithium niobate crystals using femtosecond laser pulses

Dominik Maxein; Johanna Bückers; Stephan Kratz; Daniel Haertle; Karsten Buse

doi:10.1117/12.808250

23 February 2009 Investigation of the photorefractive effect in lithium niobate crystals using femtosecond laser pulses

Dominik Maxein, Johanna Bückers, Stephan Kratz, Daniel Haertle, Karsten Buse

Proceedings Volume 7197, Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications VIII; 71970U (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.808250
Event: SPIE LASE: Lasers and Applications in Science and Engineering, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

The photorefractive effect in iron-doped lithium niobate crystals is investigated, using femtosecond pulses and cw light, both at a wavelength of 532 nm, in direct comparison. For that purpose, measurements about "light-induced" or "holographic" scattering of a single beam as well as writing of index gratings with two interfering beams are performed. We find that light-induced scattering is reduced for femtosecond pulses, and even absent for a sufficiently low Fe²⁺ concentration, in comparison and in contrast to cw light. Additional differences include a slower buildup time and a weaker angular selectivity for the scattering of pulses. Our observations can be attributed to the smaller temporal coherence of the pulses. When writing index gratings into as-grown lithium niobate crystals, the saturation value of the refractive index unexpectedly decreases with increasing pulse energy fluence. Furthermore, in oxidized crystals, writing with femtosecond pulses turns out to be much faster than with cw light. A model about the charge excitation, migration and trapping is proposed that explains these differences.

Citation Download Citation

Dominik Maxein, Johanna Bückers, Stephan Kratz, Daniel Haertle, and Karsten Buse "Investigation of the photorefractive effect in lithium niobate crystals using femtosecond laser pulses", Proc. SPIE 7197, Nonlinear Frequency Generation and Conversion: Materials, Devices, and Applications VIII, 71970U (23 February 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.808250

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KEYWORDS

Crystals

Light scattering

Scattering

Laser scattering

Femtosecond phenomena

Electrons

Laser crystals

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