Abstract

The photorefractive (PR) effect gives rise to a variety of two and four wave mixing phenomena and is of potential technological importance for applications including holographic storage and optical signal processing. The photorefractive effect is very familiar in inorganic media but only relatively recently observed in organic media.[1] Although initial studies of the organic media were guided by what was known about the properties of inorganic systems more recent effort has evolved which instead explores and exploits behavior unique to these organic compositions. Among the most important differences between the inorganic and organic systems is the additional contribution to grating formation from the birefringence of oriented chromophores.[2] Here we describe unique chromophore systems intentionally designed to enhance this birefringence contribution which have produced very promising results.

© 1996 Optical Society of America