Controllable optical Y-junctions based on dark spatial solitons generated by holographic masks

• Published in: Optics communications Vol. 165; no. 1; pp. 77 - 82
• Main Authors: Andrade-Lucio, J.A, Méndez-Otero, M.M, Gómez-Sarabia, C.M, Iturbe-Castillo, M.D, Pérez-Márquez, S, Torres-Cisneros, G.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-07-1999; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Nonlinear optics; Optical solitons; nonlinear guided waves; Optics; Phase conjugation, optical mixing, and photorefractive effect; Phase conjugation, optical mixing; photorefractive and kerr effects; Photorefractive effect; Physics; Spatial solitons; Spatial solitons; Photorefractive effect; Titanium oxides; Spatial soliton; Dark soliton; Ternary compounds; Optical solitons; Theoretical study; Bismuth oxides; Experimental study; Masks; Nonlinear optics; Computer-generated holography
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/S0030-4018(99)00189-3

We show that when the coherent superposition of two dark spatial solitons is used as the initial condition for an optical beam, it will form an asymmetric optical Y-junction after evolution in a nonlinear Kerr-like medium. Using a computer-generated holographic mask to provide such a required initial condition, we demonstrated that an asymmetric optical Y-junction can be formed in a photorefractive BTO crystal.