Results of investigations of the optical and photochromic properties o
f waveguides prepared by chemical diffusion of the azodyes methyl red
and Sudan G into polycarbonate are reported. High optical nonlinearity
of the layers is observed under conditions of self-action of lambda=6
33 nm laser radiation, and the mechanism of this effect is established
. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7842(98)02302-2].