Picosecond Optical Mixing in Photorefractive Materials
Abstract
The interaction of laser light in a photorefractive crystal can form a grating that holds promise as a future means of information storage and optical processing. The goal of the project was to examine grating formation when the laser light consists of pulses of a few picoseconds duration and make a comparison with continuous wave laser light. Toward this end, a device called an optical autocorrelator was constructed to measure the duration of the ultrashort pulses, as they are too brief to be measured by conventional electronic means. Two measurable consequences of the photorefractive effect were examined: beam fanning and self-pumped phase conjugation. Significant differences between pulsed and continuous wave input were noted, and insight into self pumped phase conjugation was gained. The results indicate the response of photorefractive crystals to ultrashort laser pulses remains an attractive item of study. LASER BEAMS: PHOTOREFRACTIVE MATERIALS.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 08, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA256824
Entities
People
- C. A. Mccartney
Organizations
- United States Naval Academy