Optical limiting and spectral stabilization in segmented photonic lattices

We propose photonic lattices with segmentation-based linear self imaging as integrated optical limiters. Starting from unity transmission in the linear regime, nonlinear delocalization leads to a continuous decrease of the overall transmission for increasing input powers. The diffractive propagation between input and output port offers the additional benefit of substantially decreased nonlinear spectral distortions. The functionality is demonstrated experimentally in a waveguide lattice realized in bulk fused silica with the femtosecond laser writing technique.