AIP conference proceedings
Phase modulation enhancement in an amplified photorefractive ring cavity
Jean-François Cormier
Abstract
Phase modulation enhancement in a photorefractive ring cavity was first considered by Jimenez, Mondragon and Stepanov who showed that the sensitivity in such systems is seriously limited by losses in the cavity and in the photorefractive material. Delaye et al. experimentally demonstrated the feasibility of such an approach using a BaTiO3 crystal at 532 nm. We are exploring the application of this concept at the Nd-YAG wavelength (1.064 μm) using as photorefractive recirculator a semiconductor photorefractive crystal combined with a Nd-YAG amplifier to compensate the losses occurring in particular at the probed surface. Experimental results obtained with a GaAs crystal and their analysis will be presented.