Polarization dependence of photoinduced birefringence in chalcogenide thin film

Abstract

In this study, we have investigated the polarization dependence of photoinduced birefringence (PB), /spl Delta/n in As/sub 40/Ge/sub 10/Se/sub 15/S/sub 35/ chalcogenide thin film with a He-Ne Laser at 633 nm as a pumping beam and a semiconductor laser at 780 nm as a probing beam. Also, the PB transformation for polarization states-linear, circular, elliptical polarization-was investigated. The polarization state of circular, elliptical was produced using a /spl lambda//4 wave plate. The thickness of the film is about 0.9 /spl mu/m which was made close to the optimal thickness, 1 /spl mu/m, which is the penetration depth of the pumping light.