Abstract

We have observed the nonstationary polarization modulation of a speckle pattern transmitted through a photorefractive crystal under the alternating electric field of a square-wave form. A simple model based on Gaussian-beam propagation in the crystal with the diffusion type of nonlinearity is proposed to explain the main features of the experiment. Application of the phenomenon to noncontact and highly sensitive measurements of a rough surface movement is suggested.

© 1999 Optical Society of America

Fast photorefractive response in B₁₂SiO₂₀ in the near infrared

Erik Raita, Oleg Kobozev, Alexei A. Kamshilin, and Victor V. Prokofiev
Opt. Lett. 25(17) 1261-1263 (2000)

Fast adaptive interferometer with a photorefractive GaP crystal

Alexei A. Kamshilin and Victor V. Prokofiev
Opt. Lett. 27(19) 1711-1713 (2002)

Near-field optical study of photorefractive surface waves in BaTiO₃

Igor I. Smolyaninov and Christopher C. Davis
Opt. Lett. 24(19) 1367-1369 (1999)

Bidirectional vectorial light amplification in cubic crystals with unshifted photorefractive gratings

I. Rocha-Mendoza and A. V. Khomenko
Opt. Lett. 27(16) 1448-1450 (2002)

Self-modulation of light in piezoelectric crystals

C. Z. Tan, T. B. Wang, H. Chen, and Z. G. Liu
Opt. Lett. 28(16) 1466-1468 (2003)