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Optical Limiting with Lithium Niobate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

Gary Cook ,
David C. Jones ,
Craig J. Finnan ,
Lesley L. Taylor ,
Tony W. Vere  and
Jason P. Duignan
Gary Cook
Affiliation:
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), PB 115, St. Andrews Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3PS, England.(44) 1684 896096, (44) 1684 896270, [email protected]
David C. Jones
Affiliation:
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), PB 115, St. Andrews Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3PS, England.(44) 1684 896096, (44) 1684 896270, [email protected]
Craig J. Finnan
Affiliation:
Optical Materials Research Centre, University of Strathclyde, Colville Building, North Portland Street, Glasgow GI 1XN, Scotland. (44) 141 5483165, [email protected]
Lesley L. Taylor
Affiliation:
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), PB 115, St. Andrews Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3PS, England.(44) 1684 896096, (44) 1684 896270, [email protected]
Tony W. Vere
Affiliation:
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), PB 115, St. Andrews Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3PS, England.(44) 1684 896096, (44) 1684 896270, [email protected]
Jason P. Duignan
Affiliation:
Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA), PB 115, St. Andrews Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3PS, England.(44) 1684 896096, (44) 1684 896270, [email protected]
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Abstract

Iron doped lithium niobate (Fe:LiNbO3) in a simple focal plane geometry has demonstrated efficient optical limiting through two-beam coupling. The performance is largely independent of the total Fe concentration and the oxidation state of the Fe ions, providing the linear optical transmission of uncoated crystals is between 30% and 60%. Fe has been found to be the best dopant for LiNbO3, giving the widest spectral coverage and the greatest optical limiting. Optical limiting in Fe:LiNbO3 has been shown to be very much greater than predicted by simple diffusion theory. The reason for this is a higher optical gain than expected. It is suggested that this may be due to an enhancement of the space-charge field arising from the photovoltaic effect. The standard two-beam coupling equations have been modified to include the effects of the dark conductivity. This has produced a theoretical intensity dependence on the ΔOD which closely follows the behaviour observed in the laboratory. A further modification to the theory has also shown that the focusing lens f-number greatly affects the optical limiting characteristics of Fe:LiNbO3. A lens f-number of approximately 20 gives the best results.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 597: Symposium PP – Thin Films for Optical Waveguide Devices & Materials … , 1999 , 263
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2000

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