Photorefractive devices for information systems

We first briefly describe the photorefractive effect. The band transport model is introduced to analyze the processes involved in the photo-induced index variation. This is followed by a more detailed analysis of the dynamics of grating formation. We then describe the interaction between electromagnetic waves propagating inside photorefractive media. Nonlinear optical processes including two-wave mixing, four-wave mixing and phase conjugation are discussed. We also point out some fundamental properties of grating diffraction. Then we discuss the applications of the photorefractive effect in information systems, including information storage, processing, modulation, and transmission. In the discussion of applications, we will focus on data storage and fiber optic devices