ABSTRACT
Photorefractivity, the modulation of refractive index by the redistribution of photogenerated charge, was first reported in polymers little more than ten years ago. Today, photorefractive polymers are an exciting alternative to photorefractive crystals such as lithium niobate, with two notable economic advantages over their crystalline forebears: (i) straightforward material preparation with little waste and (ii) direct control during preparation of the features that will determine their photorefractive performance. Perhaps photorefractive polymers will succeed in making a commercial impact that has been difficult to achieve even with the many capabilities of photorefractive crystals.
