A two-dimensional theory and propagation of beam fanning in photorefractive crystals

Abstract

A general two-dimensional model to describe beam fanning, which takes into consideration the finite width of the input beam and the interaction between different directions of the fanning beam, is presented. By numerical calculation of the coupled equations, the well-known curved path of a propagating beam inside photorefractive crystals is explained, and the propagation properties of the fanning beam inside the crystals are studied and discussed.