Nonlinear photorefractive volume holograms: spectral and spatial diffraction properties

Volume holographic recording using nonlinear photorefractive crystals is characterized by, among other features, nonlinear beam coupling effect, erasure-recording dynamics, and crystal anisotropy and birefringency. In this paper we first investigate the spectral diffraction properties of a reflective-type volume hologram by considering photorefractive beam coupling and recording-erasure dynamics. We then investigate the spatial diffraction properties of a PR hologram as affected by crystal refractive-index anisotropy. Its effects on the fidelity of the hologram image and on multiplexing scheme are also discussed. Finally, the combined (intrasignal) beam coupling and crystal anisotropy effect are examined for PR LiNbO3 crystal.