Femtosecond properties of photorefractive polymers

• Published in: Applied physics. B, Lasers and optics Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 31 - 35
• Main Authors: Nau, D., Christ, A., Giessen, H., Wagner, A., Euteneuer, A., Salvador, M., Mecher, E., Meerholz, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.04.2009; Springer
• Subjects: Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Femtosecond; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Gaussian; Holographic recording materials; optical storage media; Holography; Lasers; Nonlinear optics; Optical Devices; Optical materials; Optical pulses; Optics; Other nonlinear optical materials; photorefractive and semiconductor materials; Photonics; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polymers; Polymers and organics; Quantum Optics; Spectra; Stores; Trains; Ultrafast processes; optical pulse generation and pulse compression; 42.70.Nq; 42.70.Ln; 42.65.Re; Gaussian beam; Non linear material; Ambient temperature; Photorefractive materials; fs range; Recording material; Optical materials; Optical pulse; Ultrafast optics; Polymers; Holograms; Time reversal
• ISSN: 0946-2171; 1432-0649
• DOI: 10.1007/s00340-008-3315-9

Photorefractive polymers allow to reversibly record holograms over a broad spectral range. This capability offers the possibility to store the information contained in ultrafast optical pulses (i.e., time domain) in the frequency domain. We demonstrate a storage bandwidth of >80 nm around 800 nm (i.e., >36 THz), giving a temporal resolution for Gaussian pulses of 13 fs at room temperature. Time reversal of a pulse train of 130 fs pulses confirms these capabilities.