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Optical generation of non-diffracting beams via photorefractive holography

This work presents, for the first time the optical generation of non-diffracting beams via photorefractive holography. Optical generation of non-diffracting beams using conventional optics components is difficult and, in some instances, unfeasible, as it is wave fields given by superposition of non-diffracting beams. It is known that computer generated holograms and spatial light modulators (SLMs) successfully generate such beams. With photorefractive holography technique, the hologram of a non-diffracting beam is constructed (recorded) and reconstructed (reading) optically in a nonlinear photorefractive medium. The experimental realization of a non-diffracting beam was made in a photorefractive holography setup using a photorefractive Bi12SiO20 (BSO) crystal as the holographic recording medium, where the non-diffracting beams, the Bessel beam arrays and superposition of co-propagating Bessel beams (Frozen Waves) were obtained experimentally. The experimental results are in agreement with the theoretically predicted results, presenting excellent prospects for implementation of this technique for dynamical systems at applications in optics and photonics.