Electrostriction mechanism of Bragg grating formation in germanosilicate fibres

An electrostriction model is proposed for the photorefractive effect observed during the writing of Bragg gratings in germanosilicate fibres. Electrostriction is caused by a spatial charge grating formed upon the exposure to UV radiation. According to our estimate, the contribution of electrostriction to the photorefractive effect under real writing conditions is comparable with the contribution from colour centres and exceeds the contribution from the electrooptical effect by more than an order of magnitude. The electrostriction model explains the production of the IIA type Bragg grating in fibres with a high content of germanium in the core, as well as a number of effects that could not be explained earlier.