LEAKY PHOTOREFRACTIVE SURFACE-WAVES IN BI12TIO20 AND BI12SIO20 CRYSTALS

Consistent experimental and numerical simulation studies of photorefra ctive surface wave propagation in Bi12TiO20 and Bi12SiO20 crystals are presented. We induce the photorefractive surface wave with a Gaussian beam of small diameter and show that light leakage from the surface w ave takes the form of multiple beam reflection from the crystal surfac e. The efficiency of surface wave excitation is proved to be much high er for the divergent Gaussian beam than for the convergent one. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.