High-resolution, high-speed photorefractive incoherent-to-coherent optical converter.
We demonstrate a photorefractive incoherent-to-coherent optical converter driven by ultraviolet light that provides a 35-mus response time and an optical resolution of 124 line pairs/mm. The device, implemented in KNbO(3) , operates with a modulating intensity of 85 mW/cm(2) , which corresponds to an optical switching energy per bit of 0.5 pJ. A conversion rate of the order of 90 Gbits/(s cm(2)) is achieved. The conversion between the ultraviolet light and the visible laser beam at lambda=532 nm occurs through anisotropic Bragg diffraction at a modulated interband photorefractive grating. Our device has a better optical resolution and conversion rate than optically addressed solid-state spatial light modulators based on the photorefractive effect and multiple quantum wells, and it is also faster than devices based on liquid crystals.
Bernasconi
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P
Montemezzani
G
G
Wintermantel
M
M
Biaggio
I
I
Günter
P
P