Ce:Fe:LiNbO/sub 3/ photorefractive crystal: material properties and applications

Abstract

A specially doped photorefractive (PR) crystal Ce:Fe:LiNbO/sub 3/, and the effect due to Ce and Fe dopants are reported. We have found that the double-doped crystal exhibits higher PR sensitivity, larger dynamic range, broader spectral bandwidth, and lower scattering noise. It is about 10-times higher in PR sensitivity in the red light region (633 nm), as compared with the reported data. We have also discovered anomalous enhancement of PR effects which occur at 57/spl deg/C, 70/spl deg/C and 110/spl deg/C. The anomalies are primarily due to possible structural phase-transitions of the crystal at these temperatures. Several applications of this specially doped PR (Ce:Fe:LiNbO/sub 3/) crystal (both bulk and fiber) are also provided.