SELF-TRAPPING OF 2-DIMENSIONAL OPTICAL BEAMS AND LIGHT-INDUCED WAVE-GUIDING IN PHOTOREFRACTIVE INP AT TELECOMMUNICATION WAVELENGTHS

We demonstrated an experimental observation of self-trapping and self- deflection of a two-dimensional optical beam by the photorefractive ef fect at telecommunication wavelengths under an applied de field. Self- trapping is effective for an intensity range related to the intensity- temperature resonance known for two-wave mixing in InP:Fe. The photore fractive index change giving rise to the trapping is measured at 10(-4 ), while the photorefractive space-charge field is measured at about 5 0 kV/cm, ten times higher than the applied field. We show experimental ly that this index change creates a waveguide that can be used to guid e a second beam at 1.55 mu m. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.