Surface photorefractive wave on the boundary of a photorefractive metal-coated crystal

Special features of light-induced scattering of radiation (λ = 0.44 μm) with extraordinary polarisation in the SBN-75 photorefractive crystal are studied in detail and an efficient technique is proposed for exciting surface waves in this crystal. In the experiment carried out the efficiency of the surface wave excitation was ~30%, which is 50 times greater than that achieved earlier in exciting nonlinear surface waves in the optical region. The patterns of the near and far fields of the surface wave are presented. It is found that at small excitation angles (0 – 1.5°) the presence of a metal changes the character of arising surface waves.