Introduction, revelation, and evolution of complementary gratings in photorefractive bismuth silicon oxide

Achieving enhanced gain in photorefractive polymers by eliminating electron contributions using large bias fields

Photorefractive polymers have been extensively studied for over two decades and have found applications in holographic displays and optical image processing. The complexity of these materials arises from multiple charge contributions, for example, leading to the formation of competing photorefractive gratings. It has been recently shown that in a photorefractive polymer at relatively moderate applied electric fields the primary charge carriers (holes) establish an initial grating, followed by a subsequent competing grating (electrons) resulting in a decreased two-beam coupling and diffraction efficiencies. In this paper, it is shown that with relatively large sustainable bias fields, the two-beam coupling efficiency is enhanced owing to a decreased electron contribution. These results also explain the cause of dielectric breakdown experienced under large bias fields. Our conclusions are supported by self-pumped transient two-beam coupling and photocurrent measurements as a function of applied bias fields at different wavelengths.

Quasinondestructive holographic recording in photochromic LiNbO3

We have observed quasinondestructive holographic storage with a continuous-wave laser at lambda = 532 nm in near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 doped with Tb and Fe. This crystal showed an exceptionally long grating decay time and also exhibited a fast color change upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. It was demonstrated that the grating recorded from the UV-exposed, colored state can be continuously read out over 9 h at a reading intensity as high as 8 mW/cm(2). In addition, the written grating could be easily erased with UV illumination which returned the crystal back to the original colored state.

Electric-field stabilization and competition of gratings in a photorefractive polymer

We report observations of electric-field stabilization of gratings and grating competition in a new photorefractive polymer mixture composed of 40 wt. % diethylamino-benzaldehyde-diphenyl hydrazone dissolved in Bisphenol A 4,4'-nitroaminotolane. Gratings formed with a 650-nm optical wavelength in 145-microm-thick films at 138-kV/cm bias field have a diffraction efficiency as high as 0.11%, require an energy density of ~1 J/cm(2) for formation, and show cancellation, revelation, and electric-field-stabilized persistence. We propose a model in which fast recording is associated with one set of photosensitive traps, whereas a slower cancellation and subsequent revelation are associated with a competing grating formed in a set of insensitive shallow traps. The model also accounts for observed fatigue of the photoconductivity.

Subsecond grating growth in a photorefractive polymer

We survey the dynamics of the photorefractive effect in a methyl methacrylate copolymer with the nonlinear chromophore p-nitroaniline in a pendant side group doped with a charge-transport agent, diethylaminobenzaldehyde diphenylhydrazone, a material that represents a new class of photorefractive polymer. The grating growth times are several orders of magnitude smaller than that for the previous epoxy-based photorefractive polymers and fall below 1 s at the highest intensities used. Grating competition and revelation effects suggest that charge carriers other than photogenerated holes are mobile. A sublinear dependence of growth rate on writing intensity implies that shallow traps may also be present.

Fixable complementary gratings in photorefractive BaTiO(3)

A complementary photorefractive grating was created and stored in BaTiO(3). For a grating wave vector oriented along the crystal's c axis, the grating first appeared above 80 degrees C and would remain indefinitely after the crystal was cooled to room temperature. If the grating wave vector was aligned perpendicular to the c axis, the complementary grating could be created at room temperature but would last only a few hours. We attribute the formation of the complementary grating to the movement of ions in the crystal.