Temperature dependence of two-beam coupling and dark decay in photorefractive BaTiO₃

The temperature dependence of two-beam coupling and dark decay in photorefractive BaTiO₃ is reported. We show that the competition between deep and shallow traps depends on temperature and writing intensity, and influences two-beam coupling and dark decay. The dynamics of dark decay, characterized by a fast decay of partial erasure and a subsequent slow decay, is influenced by the presence of deep and shallow traps. Partial erasure, due to thermal excitation of charges from the shallow traps, decreases with temperature and increases with writing intensity. The time constant of the slow decay, due to thermal excitation of charges from the deep traps, depends strongly on temperature, but not on the writing intensity. At room temperature, the existence of deep and shallow trap leads to intensity-dependent photorefractive gains. As temperature increases, the influence from the shallow trap decreases, and the photorefractive gain becomes independent of the intensity. However, at much higher temperatures (∼100°C), the photorefractive gain resumes its dependence on intensity due to an increase in dark conductivity at elevated temperature.