Temporal dynamics of light-written waveguides in unbiased liquid crystals

Alberucci A, Barboza R, Jisha CP, Nolte S (2018)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2018

Journal

Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics Optical Society of America

Book Volume: 35

Pages Range: 1878-1887

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1364/JOSAB.35.001878

Abstract

The control of light by light is one of the main aims in modern photonics. In this context, a fundamental cornerstone is the realization of light-written waveguides in real time, resulting in all-optical reconfigurability of communication networks. Light-written waveguides are often associated with spatial solitons, that is, non-diffracting waves due to a nonlinear self-focusing effect in the harmonic regime. From an applicative point of view, it is important to establish the temporal dynamics for the formation of such light-written guides. Here, we investigate theoretically the temporal dynamics in nematic liquid crystals, a material where spatial solitons can be induced using continuous wave lasers with a few milliwatts of power. We fully address the role of the spatial walk-off and the longitudinal nonlocality in the waveguide formation. We show that for powers large enough to induce light self-steering the beam undergoes several fluctuations before reaching the stationary regime, in turn leading to a much longer formation time for the light-written waveguide.

Involved external institutions

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena DE Germany (DE) Tampere University of Technology FI Finland (FI) Universidade do Porto PT Portugal (PT)

How to cite

APA:

Alberucci, A., Barboza, R., Jisha, C.P., & Nolte, S. (2018). Temporal dynamics of light-written waveguides in unbiased liquid crystals. Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics, 35(8), 1878-1887. https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.35.001878

MLA:

Alberucci, Alessandro, et al. "Temporal dynamics of light-written waveguides in unbiased liquid crystals." Journal of the Optical Society of America B-Optical Physics 35.8 (2018): 1878-1887.

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