Miniaturization and embedding of soliton-based electro-optically addressable photonic arrays

We achieved the soliton-based miniaturized integration of electro-optic devices in a photorefractive paraelectric bulk crystal, by driving self-trapping through an external bias field in a top-sided electrode geometry. The ensuing spatially resolved electric field manifests a localized voltage-dependent region in which a quasi-uniform field leads to screening-like self-trapped waves at considerably low voltages without sample miniaturization, along with their electro-optic beam manipulation. By replicating the electrode structure, our achievements constitute the basic building block that paves the way to digitally addressable volume photonic manipulator arrays. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.