The authors have produced a very accessible research monograph on spatial solitons in photorefractive materials. This reference is intended for beginning investigators in nonlinear optics, scientists and graduate students in the optical and photonic sciences.
The readers are introduced to photorefractive solitons in connection with the electro-optic effect for both linear and nonlinear cases. Furthermore, spatial optical solitons are considered in photovoltaic and pyroelectric photorefractive crystals. The discussion of dark and bright spatial solitons is exemplified by lithium niobate crystals.
The dynamic evolution of spatial optical solitons is enhanced by an excellent discussion on the modulational instability and their effects on centrosymmetric photorefractive crystals. In addition, the coupling of photorefractive crystals is supported by experimental evidence for optical spatial soliton pairs in nonlinear Kerr media.
Some readers may also benefit from the detailed representation of photorefractive or photovoltaic waveguides as well as photorefractive crystal circuits.
Review by Axel Mainzer Koenig, CEO, Mainzer Koenig Research Associates, Portland, OR, USA
The opinions expressed in the book review section are those of the reviewer and do not necessarily reflect those of OPN or its publisher, Optica (formerly OSA).