Studies of optical damage in lithium niobate in the presence of thermal gradients

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Abstract
Optical damage is studied at 100 K in thermal gradients from 5 × 102 to 1.3 × 103 K/cm. Gradients less than 5 × 102 K/cm have no effect upon the observed damage; however, gradients greater than 103 K are capable of eliminating the optical damage. This is interpreted as an effect due to thermoelectric current exactly cancelling the photovoltaic current. Our estimate of thermoelectric field in the illuminated spot ΔE = (dPs/dT)▿ TΔz agrees well with the photovoltaic field determined by Levanyuk et al. [Fiz. Tverd. Tela, 22 1161 (1980)], as well as with the d.c. experiments of Reznik et al. [J. Raman Spectry., 15, 60 (1984)]. The present work substantiates our earlier hypothesis that spectral changes in optically damaged LiNbO3 arise from electric fields perpendicular to the optic c-axis [Chen, J. Appl. Phys., 40, 3389 (1969)], and are not due to photoexcited plasmons [Gorelik et al., Phys. Stat. Sol., B105, K73 (1981)].

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