Self-written waveguides in photopolymer

Abstract

Self-written waveguide (SWW) trajectories fabricated inside a dry photopolymer bulk material, acrylamide/polyvinyl alcohol (AA/PVA), are studied. Their production using both Gaussian and Laguerre-Gauss exposing (writing) light beams, output from optical fibers, is explored. The formation of the primary and secondary eyes is also discussed. Furthermore, the interactions that take place when two counterpropagating beams pass through the photopolymer material (both Gaussian and Laguerre-Gauss) are examined. In all cases experimental and theoretical results are presented. Good agreement between the predictions of the proposed model and experimental observations are demonstrated.