Adaptive and reconfigurable nonlinear photonics - structuring and controlling light by light

Periodic structures are considered to be ideal candidates to solve challenges of future optical information processing due to their ability to mold and route light. It is this basic approach that has led to the field of discrete optics in periodic structures. Most of the successful implementations up to now are limited to wave transport in prefabricated permanent structures and therefore do not provide the flexibility that is required in many applications.
Increased flexibility can be achieved when light itself induces its own periodic structure through the nonlinear response of the material. Due to the ability of the photorefractive effect to create refractive index changes at very low laser powers and to realize adaptive and reconfigurable structures, the formation of optically-induced lattices became a new application field of photorefractive media.
In this presentation we will review the attractive features of light-induced periodic structures and their role in controlling light in discrete optics considering advanced features based on phase engineering and multiplexing of optically induced lattices. We will show how light-induced Bragg gratings can induce tunable optical time delays, how complex, diffraction free light patterns can create discrete solitons and how two- and three-dimensional superstructures can be induced in these materials.