Numerical Analysis of Waveguiding in Luminescence-Induced Spatial Soliton Channels

In this paper, we numerically investigate the formation and propagation characteristics of waveguides written by luminescence-induced spatial solitons (LISSs). Such waveguides, realized in erbium-doped lithium niobate crystals by photorefractive and Pockels effects, are analyzed in the transient regime by using a spatiotemporal numerical code for the photorefractive nonlinearity as well as for the erbium emission and light propagation within the induced waveguide. These calculations highlight a great LISS feasibility. Optical characterization of the waveguides indicates light propagation losses lower than 0.05 dB/cm at 1550 nm, pointing out high potentialities of LISS waveguides for active and passive electrooptic devices.