Reconfigurable channel waveguides induced by photovoltaic spatial solitons

Summary form only given. Spatial photorefractive solitons and photo-induced waveguides are key elements in the development of reconfigurable waveguides for optical switching and dynamic interconnects. Most applications necessitate two-dimensional confinement which requires a 2-D soliton in bulk crystal or the combination of a 1-D self-confining beam and a slab waveguide. In this work, we present experimental results showing soliton-induced channel waveguides formed in titanium diffused LiNbO/sub 3/ slab waveguides. The influence of the inhomogeneous titanium doping on the photorefractive effect is found to induce mode profile modification. Insights into the dark soliton formation length are obtained experimentally and compared with theory.