STEADY-STATE DARK PHOTOREFRACTIVE SCREENING SOLITONS

We present an experimental study of steady-state dark photorefractive screening solitons trapped in a bulk strontium barium niobate crystal. We compare experimental measurements with theoretical calculations of the soliton properties and find good agreement between theory and exp eriments. We confirm the shape-preserving behavior of the dark soliton by measuring its beam profile as it propagates throughout a specially cut crystal and by guiding a beam of a different wavelength. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America