Peculiarities of spontaneous grating generation in light-sensitive waveguide layers during holographic grating formation

The generation of spontaneous (noise) gratings during the simultaneous formation of a holographic grating in thin (on the order of the cutoff thickness of the TE₀ waveguide mode) AgCl-Ag films by two laser beams with λ = 532 nm and polarization vectors that make an angle of 45° with the plane of incidence have been studied. The electron microscopy images and diffraction patterns have revealed a significant difference of the spontaneous-grating structure from the structure obtained under irradiation by one laser beam. The spontaneous gratings have a significant spread in the directions of their wave vector, and the diffraction pattern (recorded using a probe beam with λ = 337 nm) has the form of a bundle of diverging arcs that intersect at one point. This difference is caused by self-diffraction from the holographic grating, which is responsible for the main diffraction peaks with odd orders, the growth of spontaneous gratings because of the interference of the beams diffracted by the holographic grating with the waveguide TE₀ modes scattered in the film, and silver transport to the interference minima. The diffraction patterns are quantitatively analyzed and the period of the new (formed under two-beam irradiation) spontaneous gratings is calculated. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Characterization of laser waveguides in Nd:CNGG crystals formed by low fluence carbon ion implantation

We report on Nd:CNGG active planar waveguides produced by 6.0 MeV carbon ion implantation at fluence from 1 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm² to 8 × 10¹⁴ ions/cm². The refractive index profiles, which were reconstructed according to the measured dark mode spectroscopy, showed that the refractive indices had negative changes in the surface region, forming typical barrier waveguide. The width of waveguide structure induced by carbon ion implantation is ∼3.8 μm. The typical barrier-shaped distribution may be mainly due to the nuclear energy deposition of the incident ions into the substrate. By performing a modal analysis on the observed TE modes, it was found that the TE₀ and TE₁ modes can be well-confined inside the waveguide.     

Millimeter-wave mode conversions at dielectric waveguide steps

The conversion of guided modes (TE₀ and TE₁) at a rectangular step on a dielectric slab waveguide is investigated with mm microwaves. The power of the modes is measured from their interference patterns in the evanescent field outside the waveguide slab. The relative power of two modes changes periodically when the length of the step is varied. In the experiments a change of up to three orders of magnitude was measured. The step is considered as a sequence of three waveguide sections of different thickness. At the discontinuities the modal fields are assumed to illuminate the next section. The calculation based on this model agrees with the experimental results.     

Analysis and design of grating couplers

Based on an accurate perturbation analysis of the guiding properties of dielectric gratings, simple design criteria are developed for grating couplers which transfer the energy of a beam into or out of an optical waveguide. Gratings having arbitrary groove shapes are considered and explicit formulae are given for the leakage parameters of gratings with symmetric profiles. The results cover TE_v and TM_v modes and they apply to both shallow and deep grating grooves. The variation of the leakage parameter α in rectangular gratings is examined in detail; these rectangular gratings are then used as basic configurations for predicting the characteristics of other grating profiles. Particular attention is given to trapezoidal and triangular profiles and gratings with asymmetric profiles are also discussed.     

Nonpolarizing and tunable perpendicular dual-grating guided-mode resonance filter

A perpendicular dual-grating (PDG) guided-mode resonance filter was constructed by placing two identical waveguide gratings close to and their grooves perpendicular to each other. Multilayer waveguide theory was used to estimate the resonant wavelength for the TE and TM polarization incidences, and the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) was used to investigate the resonant wavelength, the lineshape and linewidth of the resonant peaks for arbitrary polarization incidences. The filter presents identical spectral characteristics for normally incident wave with arbitrary polarization. The separation of the resonant reflection peaks corresponding to the TE₀ and TM₀ split modes were realized by properly selecting the geometrical and material parameters of the grating layers and the waveguide layers. Measurement of the nano air gap between 0 and 0.4 p by determining one of the two resonant reflection peaks of the TE₀/TM₀ split modes was achieved without being interfered by the TM₀/TE₀ split modes.     

Influence of two-dimensional bragg diffraction on the competition of the waveguide TE<Subscript>0</Subscript> and TM<Subscript>0</Subscript> modes during formation of spontaneous gratings in AgCl-Ag thin films

An intricate space-time instability of patterns of small-angle scattering and diffraction of a laser beam on the structures appearing in AgCl-Ag films under exposure to the same beam is investigated. The instability is related to the formation of spontaneous gratings in the film resulting from the interference of the incident beam with the waveguide modes scattered in the film. The existence of a two-dimensional Bragg diffraction on the TE₀ and TM₀ modes with subsequent formation of secondary spontaneous gratings is revealed and is theoretically substantiated. It is established that the difference in the indicatrices of the radiation scattered into the TE₀ and TM₀ modes for the s-and p-polarizations manifests itself in different kinds of diffraction and small-angle scattering patterns at the output of illuminated samples.     

对称单负介质包层平面波导的模式特征

系统研究了负μ材料(MNG)作为包层的对称三层平板波导的传输特性. 研究发现,这种波导既支持快波的传播,又支持TE₀,TE₁模式的慢波传输. 其模式特性不同于左手介质波导和传统介质波导,导模存在的模折射率范围要比它们的大. MNG波导的TE₀快波模缺失,且TE_m模(m>1)的传播常数大于TM_m模的传播常数. TE_m模具有双模特征,且与波导的结构参数密切相关,导致波导中的净能流出现负值. 关键词： 单负介质 平板波导 快波与慢波 传播常数     

The optical properties of planar waveguides in LiB3O5 crystals formed by Cu implantation

A planar optical waveguide has been formed in a LiB₃O₅ crystal using 6.0 MeV Cu⁺-ions with a dose of 1 × 10¹⁵ ions/cm² at room temperature. Possible propagating modes were measured at a wavelength of 633 nm using the prism-coupling method. The refractive index profiles of the waveguide were reconstructed by an effective refractive index method and the beam propagation method was used to investigate the properties of the propagation modes in the formed waveguide. The results suggest that the fundamental TE₀ and TM₀ modes may be well-confined and propagate a longer distance inside the waveguide. The implantation process was also simulated using the transport of ions in matter code (TRIM), which indicates that the nuclear energy deposition may be the main factor for the refractive index change.     

非对称型Kerr类介质膜漏波导中的非线性导波

本文研究了特定边界条件下非对称型Kerr类介质膜漏波导中TE₀光波的传播特性。计算结果表明,介质膜厚存在一临界值。临界值之上没有导波存在,临界值之下能同时存在强场TE₀模和弱场TE₀模,它们具有不同的传播波数。这两个模的膜内传播功率、场强峰值位置随膜厚和光场频率的变化各不相同,色散关系也有极大差别。在对称极限之下,弱场TE₀模的色散为零。 关键词：     

Spatial-temporal instability and optical turbulence upon the formation of spontaneous gratings by S-polarized light in waveguide AgCl-Ag films

The spatial-temporal instability of the spontaneous gratings formed in waveguide AgCl-Ag films under irradiation with an S-polarized laser beam is investigated. The studies are based on the simultaneous observation of diffraction (D) patterns formed by the S _? gratings and small-angle scattering (SAS). The transverse instability of D and SAS patterns was found to be associated with excitation of TE₀ modes at different angles with respect to the plane of incidence by scattering centers of Rayleigh type with the following formation of microgratings by the scattered modes and with their competition. It is shown that the time evolution of the form and the dynamic shift of the D patterns is also connected with the time dependence of the effective refractive index for TE₀ modes. In the case when a focused laser beam was used, the optical turbulence was found in the SAS and D patterns, caused, mainly, by the competition of S _?-and S ₊-microgratings, which eventually leads to the destruction of the latter.     

Simultaneous generation of TE 0 and TE 1 modes with different wavelengths in a semiconducting laser diode

A semiconducting laser diode with an original waveguide structure containing two quantum wells and simultaneously generating the TE0 and TE ₁ modes with wavelengths 1.05 and 0.90 μm, respectively, at liquid nitrogen temperature is developed on the basis of the InGaAs/GaAs/InGaP heterostructure.     

MAGICTRAC, a novel method for conversion of whispering-gallery modes into a free-space Gaussian-like beam

A novel device, MAGICTRAC, is described for efficient conversion at millimeter wavelengths of the TE _m,n whispering-gallery mode into a linearly polarized, free-space Gaussian-like beam. MAGICTRAC uses a mode-converting waveguide taper and three mirror optics, one of which incorporates a twist reflector to linearly polarize the output beam. An example design is presented for the TE_15,2 mode at 140 GHz with a calculated efficiency of 96%. Related possible applications include (1) installation of the MAGICTRAC within the vacuum envelope of a gyrotron to separarate the spent e-beam from the generated rf, (2) generation of a whispering-gallery mode by injection of a Gaussian-like beam into the output end, and (3) conversion of TE _m,n modes into TE_0n modes for low-loss transmission in smooth-wall waveguide.Work performed by LLNL for USDOE under contract W-7405 ENG-48.     

Guided modes in slab waveguides with a left handed material cover or substrate

We study guided modes propagating along a dielectric slab waveguide with a left handed material (LHM) cover or substrate. The dispersion relation is derived by using normalized waveguide parameters. An analytical method is then proposed to calculate the universal dispersion curves. Different from a slab waveguide with a LHM core, we find that guidance properties are strongly dependent on dielectric permittivity ε and magnetic permeability μ of the substrate and cover layers. For oscillating guided modes, fundamental zero order mode is not always absence, sometimes it exists in a restricted range of normalized propagation constant. First order mode behaves as other higher order modes and exists up to infinite high frequency. Higher order modes have no double degeneracy in the case of LHM cover layer. For surface guided modes, the existence and the type of the mode solutions with respect to different parameters are classified systematically and discussed in detail. Unlike a slab waveguide with a LHM core where the dispersion curve of TE₁ surface mode continues with that of oscillating TE₁ mode, the dispersion curve of TE₁ surface mode continues with that of oscillating TE₀ mode. It seems that the two different kinds of modes compensate each other to form one whole mode. Both TE and TM guided modes are discussed.     

双微波源共轴辐射馈线结构的设计

设计了一种将两个不同波段微波源输出微波馈向同一个馈源喇叭的双波段馈线结构。该结构不仅对两个微波源输出的TM01模进行了有效的模式转换,而且实现了两个波段的微波共用辐射天线。采用双弯曲圆波导模式转换器实现高频段微波源输出微波的模式转换和轴线的定量平移;采用中间模式为矩形波导TE10模的圆波导TM01模-同轴波导TE11模的模式转换器,实现低频段微波源输出微波的模式转换及与高频段微波源输出微波的共轴输出。数值仿真结果验证了设计思路的正确性。     

Holographic recording by excitation of metastable electronic states in Na2[Fe(CN)5NO]·2H2O: a new photorefractive effect

Elementary holographic phase gratings can be written in single crystals of Na₂[Fe(CN)₅NO]·2H₂O, sodiumnitroprusside, by excitation of metastable electronic states in the blue–green spectral range. For light polarized parallel to the crystallographic a and b axes of the orthorhombic crystal the light-induced modulation of the refractive index reaches Δn≈2×10^-3 at λ=514.5 nm. Although the largest population of the metastable states is reached for light polarized parallel to the crystallographic c axis, a photorefractive response is not observed. In contrast to electro-optic photorefractive materials the photorefractive effect depends mono-exponentially on the exposure and on the modulation of the incident light interference pattern. Beam-coupling experiments demonstrate that written gratings are in phase with the interference pattern in correspondence with the fact that the excitation of the metastable electronic states is local. The width of the rocking curve shows that the holographic gratings are written completely over the volume of the crystal. Variations of the wavelengths within the excitation range as well as of the crystal thickness do not influence the maximum photorefractive response. Investigations on the grating vector of the written gratings show unambiguously that charge migration is not responsible for the photorefractive effect. Received: 18 November 1998 / Revised version: 26 January 1999 / Published online: 12 April 1999     

Space-charge field of a photorefractive grating in a planar waveguide based on a cubic crystal

We consider the initial stage of formation of photorefractive gratings in planar waveguides based on cubic electrooptic crystals. We have obtained solutions for the components of the space-charge field for arbitrary ratios between parameters characterizing the spatial inhomogeneity of the light interference pattern in the waveguide as well as the diffusion length. The dependence of the component of the space-charge field parallel to the grating vector on its period in the initial section of the recording is also determined by the sum and difference of the transverse propagation constants of the interacting waveguide modes. We show that for waveguide interactions characterized by a small transverse scale of spatial inhomogeneity, the distributions of the space-charge field and the light intensity in the interference pattern are substantially different. These effects must be considered in analysis of the nonlinear interactions occurring in a refractive index grating due to the electrooptical effect. Tomsk University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, pp. 65–73, June, 1997.     

Dynamic light beam deflection caused by space charge waves in photorefractive crystals

During holographic recording in photorefractive crystals (BSO, BGO, and BTO) by an oscillating interference pattern we observe a strong dynamic deflection of the laser beams reflected from the crystal’s surface. The theoretical treatment shows that this new effect is associated with a nonlinear interaction of space charge gratings resulting in a quasi-homogeneous oscillating space charge field which provides deformations of the crystal via the piezoelectric effect. Received: 3 August 1999 / Accepted 5 August 1999 / Published online: 8 September 1999     

Photoinduced transformations in a thin-film waveguide AgCl-Ag composition under a green (532 nm) laser beam

A linearly polarized (E ₀) laser beam (λ = 532 nm) causes photoinduced transformations in an AgCl-Ag composition consisting of a thin waveguide AgCl film on glass covered by a layer of Ag nanoparticles. Before the illumination the sample exhibits an absorption band due to localized plasmons in nanoparticles. The illumination excites plasmons and leads to scattering of waveguide TE₀ modes. The interference of modes with the incident light beam leads to the development of a periodic structure, the lines of which are formed by Ag particles and directed along E ₀. The measured structure period coincides with the result of calculation based on solving the dispersion equation for the TE₀-mode. Measurement of absorption in the E ‖ E ₀ polarization reveals dichroism and a spectral hole (at λ ≈ nm). It is shown that the structures formed remain on the substrate after removing AgCl in a fixing agent. The dichroism value and dispersion change after fixing. The character of dichroism prior to fixing is recovered after depositing an AgCl layer (with the parameters retained) on the fixed film.     

Multiwave Interaction of Light in a Bismuth Silicon Oxide Crystal in an Applied Meander Electric Field

An analysis is made of photorefractive nonlinearity resulting from the interaction between the charge gratings formed in a bismuth silicate crystal in an applied meander electric field under illumination by a strong reference and two signal light beams. It is shown that the nonlinear cross interaction between the primary holographic gratings recorded in the crystal should be taken into account where the intensities of the reference and signal light beams differ from one another in magnitude (less than 300 times).__________Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 24–29, February, 2005.