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43450-B7
Experimental Study of Novel Photorefractive Organic Glasses

Zhigang Chen, San Francisco State Univ

The initial objective of this project is to study nonlinear optical effects in photorefractive (PR) monolithic organic glasses and inorganic crystals. In previous years, a series of experiments has been performed to understand the orientational nonlinearity in DCDHF-based organic glasses and in SBN inorganic crystals, and in the last project year, we focus on formation of solitary waves and surface waves and their suitability in photorefractive crystals. In particular, the P.I. and his students have designed and performed experiments for demonstration of optically induced self-switching between focusing and defocusing and self-trapping of optical beams in the high performance PR glasses, and for demonstration of controlling light in optically-induced photonic lattices with structured defects and surfaces in bulk nonlinear crystals. Another objective is to promote education and research of students at San Francisco State University, one of the national HBCU/MI undergraduate institutions, in the fields of physical sciences and engineering. These objectives are fully in line with the goal of PRF grant support.

We are happy to report that, during the last project year, we have made significant progress in this funded project. Nearly 20 scientific research papers have been published or soon to be published in top-rated refereed journals including Physical Review Letters and Optics Letters. Work from these papers have also been selected and featured in premier magazines such as Optics & Photonics News, as well as in Technology Research News, and Virtual Journal of Nanotechnologies, and have presented in several invited talks in conferences and workshops. Equally important is that several students supported by this grant have made remarkable contribution to the project. Our major achievements in the first two project years of this PRF grant include:

1. Controlled rotation of solitons in periodic ring photonic lattices

2. Photonic bandgap guidance in lattices with structured defects

3. Novel mixed nonlinear localized modes of doubly-charged vortices.

4. Nonlinear two-dimensional surface waves (Tamm states)

5. Nonlinear spectrum reshaping and gap-soliton-train trapping

Overall, we have made significant progress in this project, with active participation of undergraduate and graduate students.

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