SELF-BOUNCING OPTICAL BEAMS IN PHOTOREFRACTIVE WAVE-GUIDES

It is shown that, as a result of diffusion space-charge field effects, self-bouncing beam behavior is possible in photorefractive waveguides . The process is explicitly demonstrated by means of an exact Gaussian solution in the case of parabolic planar waveguides. The trajectory o f these beams as well as their associated characteristics is given in terms of relevant parameters. Asymmetric modal states are also obtaine d for parabolic and other waveguide structures. (C) 1996 Optical Socie ty of America