Abstract

Volumetric thermal gratings which are created by intersecting two coherent laser beams in an absorbing liquid have been investigated by a number of researchers in the past.^1-5 Such gratings when probed at a wavelength at which the medium is transparent and at an incident angle equal to Bragg angle are capable of deflecting the incident beam into a first order of the grating with very high efficiency. A large-aperture deflecting switch can be built utilizing this effect. However, in liquids substantial laser energy fluence (~150 mJ/cm²) is required to switch a visible beam, and the nonlinear optical effects limit the peak intensity at which the switch can be operated.

© 1983 Optical Society of America