Understanding light intensity thresholds for catastrophic optical damage in LiNbO3.
The appearance of light intensity thresholds for catastrophic optical damage in LiNbO3 is satisfactorily explained by using a photorefractive model based on the Fe(2+)?Fe(3+) and NbLi(4+)?NbLi(5+) defect pairs. Model simulations of the photorefractive amplification gain as a function of the light intensity present sharp threshold behavior. A similar behavior is shown by the saturating refractive index change. In agreement with experiments, predicted thresholds appear shifted towards higher intensities (up to a 10(4) factor) when the Nb(Li) concentration is decreased or the temperature is increased. The model also explains very recent data on the threshold enhancement with the Fe(2+)/Fe(3+) ratio in optical waveguides.
Departamento de Física de Materiales C-IV, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Madrid, Spain. m.carrascosa@uam.es
M
M
Carrascosa
J
J
Villarroel
J
J
Carnicero
A
A
García-Cabañes
J M
JM
Cabrera
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D004868:Equipment Failure; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008027:Light; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009556:Niobium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012031:Refractometry
D010087:Oxides; D009556:Niobium; C091692:lithium niobate