STUDY OF THE OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF PHOTOREFRACTIVE CRYSTALS OF BARIUMSODIUM NIOBATE

This paper presents a review of the results of an experimental study o f the temperature dependence of the scattering anisotropy of laser rad iation transmitted through a crystal of barium sodium niobate. It is f ound that the scattering of laser radiation in the crystal depends on the wavelength, direction, and polarization of the ray relative to the crystallographic axes, the temperature, and the growth direction of t he crystal. In the region of the phase transition close to 500 degrees C, focusing and spatial modulation of the ray and a complex annular s tructure in the cross section were observed. (C) 1997 The Optical Soci ety of America.