Optical beam splitting in a nonlinear polymer waveguide

Sergey S. Sarkisov; Aaron Wilkosz; Putcha Venkateswarlu

doi:10.1117/12.317706

3 August 1998 Optical beam splitting in a nonlinear polymer waveguide

Sergey S. Sarkisov, Aaron Wilkosz, Putcha Venkateswarlu

Proceedings Volume 3487, International Conference on Singular Optics; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.317706
Event: International Conference on Singular Optics, 1997, Partenit, Crimea, Ukraine

Abstract

We report on single optical beam splitting into several beams in a slab waveguide made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped with dye 4-(Dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p- dimethylaminostyryl)4H-pyran known as DCM. The effect is associated with permanent refractive index decrease caused by upconverted dye photobleaching. The effect takes place at much lower power than nonlinear propagation effects in Kerr media (less than 1 kW/cm²). The proposed model of splitting uses soliton-like solutions of Shrodinger-type nonlinear propagation equation complemented by the rate equation for the refractive index change. Computer simulations based on the model demonstrate all the effects observed experimentally such as beam splitting into two primary side branches followed by their collapse into multiple secondary branches. Simulations also show that the beam sent through a (pi) -step phase mask has behavior similar to that of a spatial dark soliton.

Citation Download Citation

Sergey S. Sarkisov, Aaron Wilkosz, and Putcha Venkateswarlu "Optical beam splitting in a nonlinear polymer waveguide", Proc. SPIE 3487, International Conference on Singular Optics, (3 August 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.317706

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