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arXiv:1610.04553 · Physical Review Letters

Optical Phase Conjugation with Less Than a Photon per Degree of Freedom

Mooseok Jang, Changhuei Yang, Ivo M. Vellekoop

Published Mar 3, 2017• 21 citations
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Abstract

We demonstrate experimentally that optical phase conjugation can be used to focus light through strongly scattering media even when far less than a photon per optical degree of freedom is detected. We found that the best achievable intensity contrast is equal to the total number of detected photons, as long as the resolution of the system is high enough. Our results demonstrate that phase conjugation can be used even when the photon budget is extremely low, such as in high-speed focusing through dynamic media or imaging deep inside tissue.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.118.093902

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We demonstrate experimentally that optical phase conjugation can be used to focus light through strongly scattering media even when far less than a photon per optical degree of freedom is detected. We found that the best achievable intensity contrast is equal to the total number of detected photons, as long as the resolution of the system is high enough. Our results demonstrate that phase conjugation can be used even when the photon budget is extremely low, such as in high-speed focusing through dynamic media or imaging deep inside tissue.
The results of the study on phase conjugation of weak optical signals with an energy of several photons are considered. Basic concepts of a semi-classical theoretical approach to describe amplification and phase conjugation (PC) of such signals are presented. A review is given of the experimental investigations that allowed reaching a limiting (about 1 photon per mode) sensitivity of optical systems with PC-mirrors for a large (~105) number of resolution elements. High-sensitivity PC-mirror optical systems are demonstrated for a variety of applications.
The results of the study on phase conjugation of weak optical signals with the energy of units of photons are considered. Basic concepts of a semi-classical theoretical approach to describe amplification and phase conjugation (PC) of such signals are presented. A review is given on the experimental investigations that allowed for reaching a limit (about 1 photon for a mode) sensitivity of optical systems with PC-mirrors for a large (~ 105) number of resolution elements. High-sensitivity PC-mirror optical systems are demonstrated for a variety of applications.
Various aspects of optical phase conjugation are discussed: the properties of the conjugate wave, its potential applications, the basic conjugation methods, and a brief history of the question. The theory for phase conjugation in stimulated scattering is set forth in detail. The basic experimental results on this conjugation method are also discussed in detail. Phase conjugation occurs because that configuration of the back-scattered field which has the conjugate wavefront is amplified to the greatest extent (at a doubled gain) in the intense speckle-inhomogeneous conjugate wave in a medium in which stimulated scattering occurs. Because of the large overall amplification in stimulated scattering, all the other, uncorrelated, configurations of the spontaneously scattered nucleating waves are amplified by a factor of 107 less and are discriminated against. The intervals of values of the various parameters in which the conjugate configuration (the specklon) exists are discussed theoretically, as is the effect of nonlinear selection and saturation on phase conjugation in stimulated scattering. There is a review of experimental results on the first observation of the effect, on the measurement of the angular structure of the uncorrelated waves and of the extent to which they are discriminated against, on the phase fluctuations of the conjugate wave, on the conjugation of subthreshold and depolarized radiation, and on phase conjugation in stimulated scattering in focused beams and for other scattered-wave amplification mechanisms.