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Theory of Novel Nonlinear Optics

Juan Francisco Lam

Published Oct 1, 1990• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Abstract : A study of novel nonlinear optical processes is presented, along with comparison with available experimental data. Five key areas were investigated using novel theoretical approaches. Analysis of phase conjugate optics of rare earth doped solids predicts inhomogenous saturation behavior, pair quenching effects and concentration dependent filtering property, in agreement with experiments. Theory of millimeter wave phase conjugation and novel modulation techniques for communication purposes in semiconductor superlattices are described. The physics of self-pumped phase conjugation in resonant systems are quantified, and the demonstration of a self-pumped phase conjugate mirror at diode laser wavelengths is achieved. A theoretical model, based on the Davydov Hamiltonian, gives absorption lineshapes in agreement with experiments, and predicts the onset of bistability and energy transfer in two-beam coupling. An analysis of the role of multiple longitudinal phonon coupling to Wannier excitions yields Fano-like profiles in four-wave mixing spectroscopy.

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Phase Conjugate Optics and Nonlinear Optical Phenomena in Optical Fibers

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Part I of this thesis describes the theoretical and experimental aspects of a new area in coherent optics known as phase conjugate optics. By using nonlinear optical mixing techniques, the complex conjugate of an arbitrary incident monochromatic wave can be generated. In particular, the theory of the degenerate four-wave mixing technique is presented. Experimental observation of phase conjugate wave front generation in a liquid crystal material (MBBA) is described. The ability of the conjugate wave front to correct for phase aberration is demonstrated. The quantum mechanical origin of the nonlinear third order susceptibility responsible for the four-wave mixing process is illustrated in an atomic system. Because of a finite memory time of such an atomic system, the electromagnetic waves taking part in the mixing process need not occur simultaneously. The applications of the phase conjugation process to real-time information processing and the characteristics of a phase conjugate resonator are discussed in detail. The ability of an optical fiber to confine the propagation of electromagnetic waves over a long distance and within a small cross sectional area implies that large optical intensities can be maintained over a long " interaction length even at moderate incident optical power. Part II of this thesis describes some third order nonlinear optical phenomena that have been observed under this condition. Especially, phase conjugation by degenerate four-wave mixing in a fiber has been shown to require significantly less pumping power. The theoretical and experimental studies of four-wave mixing in a liquid-filled fiber are presented. Extensive experimental efforts have been devoted over the last few years to the study of stimulated Raman scattering and the oscillation of the Stokes radiation inside fibers. A detailed theoretical treatment will be given here to describe these effects. The analysis shows that pump depletion due to the nonlinear process is very important in describing the stimulated Raman scattering in low loss fibers and is the dominant saturation effect in a fiber Raman oscillator. Finally, the implications of nonlinear optical phenomena to fiber optic communication will be mentioned.

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Theory of phase-conjugate oscillators I

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We have developed a theory for nondegenerate oscillations in optical resonators containing an intracavity phase-conjugate element. The phase-conjugate element consists of a nonlinear transparent medium that is pumped externally by a pair of counterpropagating laser beams of the same frequency and intensity. Phase conjugation of an input beam of slightly different frequency occurs because of nondegenerate four-wave mixing. The theory takes into account linear absorption (or gain) in the medium and is applied to study the threshold behavior of phase-conjugate oscillators. For the special case of no conventional mirrors, the phase-conjugate oscillator reduces to an ordinary phase-conjugate mirror, and our general formulation yields the results of previous studies. Our analysis shows that the parametric gain required for oscillation increases (or decreases) as a result of linear absorption (or gain) in the medium, and oscillation can occur at a frequency different from that of the pump beams in the presence of large linear gain (or loss). The effects of linear absorption (or gain) on the filter operation are also examined.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Aug 1, 1990•5 citations

Phase conjugate optics : on the theory, observation, and utilization of temporallly-reversed wavefronts as generated via nonlinear optical parametric interactions

David M. Pepper

This thesis describes theoretical and experimental aspects as well as potential applications in the field of coherent optics known as Phase Conjugate Optics (PCO). By utilizing nonlinear optical techniques, real-time or wavefront reversal of an arbitrary incident electromagnetic field can be realized. The nonlinear optical interaction gives rise to what is referred to as the phase conjugate (of the incident monochromatic wave) by performing the operation of complex conjugation upon the incident wave's complex spatial amplitude in real time. This conjugate wave, which is also designated as being a wavefront, has the property of exactly retracing the path of the incident field. The ability of the conjugate wave to correct for inhomogeneous linear and nonlinear (intensity-dependent) aberrations as well as polarization distortions is proved. In particular, the theory of a degenerate four-wave nonlinear optical interaction as providing for the conjugator is presented. The effects of linear and nonlinear losses upon this interaction are discussed. The quantum mechanical origin of the third order nonlinear optical susceptibility responsible for the four-wave mixing process is analyzed for both single and two-photon allowed transitions in an atomic (or molecular) system. The analogies of four-wave mixing with that of real-time holography are discussed. The theory of conjugation via four-wave mixing in optical waveguides is presented. Several of the above characteristics of conjugate fields are verified experimentally where conjugate fields via degenerate four-wave mixing were observed both in the bulk and in waveguide geometries, using carbon disulfide as the nonlinear medium. Amplified time-reversed wavefront generation as well as a mirrorless optical parametric mode of oscillation have been observed, both in agreement with theoretical predictions. Potential applications of PCO are discussed in three different regimes: spatial-frequency, temporal-frequency, and spatial/temporal frequency domains. In the first category, the ability of PCO to correct for image modal dispersion in optical waveguides as well as the use of PCO to perform real-time coherent image processing and nonlinear microscopy is discussed. Temporal-frequency domain applications of PCO to be analyzed include the use of a nearly degenerate four-wave mixing process as a narrowband, wide field-of-view optical filter, capable of an amplified bandpass. The ability of a PCO interaction to renarrow (transform limited) optical pulses which have been temporally spread due to propagation through (group velocity) dispersive channels is analyzed. A potential application of PCO in the field of nonlinear laser spectroscopy is presented. Specifically, the scattering of a probe photon off a two-photon coherent state (created in a three-level atomic system) is shown to yield a conjugate replica. This conjugate replica is capable of providing sub-Doppler width resolution of the two-photon resonance. Further, in the transient regime, the optical free-induction decay of the conjugate wave is capable of yielding detailed spectral features of the three-level system such as the anharmonic contribution to a (nearly) harmonic potential. This technique, performed in the time domain, is known as [alpha]-beat spectroscopy. Finally, a detailed theoretical and experimental study is presented of a laser resonator in which one (or both) of the mirror(s) comprising the optical cavity is replaced by a conjugate mirror (PCM). This novel resonator, which is termed a conjugate resonator (PCR), combines many of the spatial- and temporal-frequency aspects of PCO interactions discussed above. The stability criterion, transverse and longitudinal mode spectra, and the PCR output energy, as well as the frequency locking features of the laser modes to the PCM are discussed.

•Mar 1, 1980•2 citations

Theory of optical phase conjugation in coupled ion pairs

Juan Francisco Lam

Coupled ion pairs in solids have played an important role in the development of new solid-state lasers. The long-range interaction among two or more ions provides a channel for the inversion of population, leading to the discovery of new emission lines. Because of the relatively large optical cross sections, coupled ion pairs may provide new media for the implementation of a solid-state phase conjugate mirror. We present a theory of optical phase conjugation via four-wave mixing in such novel materials. For a model ion-doped solid-state system, the calculations give the following conclusions. First, the spectral linewidth is proportional to the square root of the intensity of the radiation field in an inhomogenously broadened material for fixed ion density. Second, the linewidth decreases with increasing ion density for the fixed intensity level. And last, the saturation intensity also decreases with increasing ion density for the fixed optical intensity. The behavior of the linewidth and the saturation intensity are attributed to the strong interaction among two nearest-neighbor ion pairs, which leads to the generation of additional energy dumping pathways.

Annual Meeting Optical Society of America•Jan 1, 1988•0 citations

Phase Conjugation By Resonantly Enhanced Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing

The use of resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing to generate high reflectivity phase-conjugate waves is discussed. A physical understanding of the mechanisms underlying the nonlinear response for a simple two-level system is presented followed by a discussion of the complicating effects of pump absorption, pump depletion, unbalanced pumps, and thermal motion. Modifications of the theory to describe four-level behavior are presented and compared with experiments. The application of nearly degenerate four-wave mixing to narrow-band filtering complicated by the A. C. Stark effect is dis-cussed along with examples of experimental observations.

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Comparison between theory and experiment in self-pumped Brillouin-enhanced four-wave mixing

Kevin D. Ridley, A. M. Scott

We report on a theoretical and modeling study of self-pumped four-wave mixing in a Brillouin medium. A theoretical analysis gives expressions for the threshold intensity and for the steady-state reflectivity at small input intensities. Operation over a range of input intensities is also investigated by using a computer model that predicts that, for high input intensities, the conjugate can become unstable and oscillate chaotically in time. Experimentally we observe phase conjugation with an input threshold 25 times less than that required for phase conjugation by stimulated Brillouin scattering.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Sep 1, 1989•11 citations
Abstract : A study of novel nonlinear optical processes is presented, along with comparison with available experimental data. Five key areas were investigated using novel theoretical approaches. Analysis of phase conjugate optics of rare earth doped solids predicts inhomogenous saturation behavior, pair quenching effects and concentration dependent filtering property, in agreement with experiments. Theory of millimeter wave phase conjugation and novel modulation techniques for communication purposes in semiconductor superlattices are described. The physics of self-pumped phase conjugation in resonant systems are quantified, and the demonstration of a self-pumped phase conjugate mirror at diode laser wavelengths is achieved. A theoretical model, based on the Davydov Hamiltonian, gives absorption lineshapes in agreement with experiments, and predicts the onset of bistability and energy transfer in two-beam coupling. An analysis of the role of multiple longitudinal phonon coupling to Wannier excitions yields Fano-like profiles in four-wave mixing spectroscopy.
Part I of this thesis describes the theoretical and experimental aspects of a new area in coherent optics known as phase conjugate optics. By using nonlinear optical mixing techniques, the complex conjugate of an arbitrary incident monochromatic wave can be generated. In particular, the theory of the degenerate four-wave mixing technique is presented. Experimental observation of phase conjugate wave front generation in a liquid crystal material (MBBA) is described. The ability of the conjugate wave front to correct for phase aberration is demonstrated. The quantum mechanical origin of the nonlinear third order susceptibility responsible for the four-wave mixing process is illustrated in an atomic system. Because of a finite memory time of such an atomic system, the electromagnetic waves taking part in the mixing process need not occur simultaneously. The applications of the phase conjugation process to real-time information processing and the characteristics of a phase conjugate resonator are discussed in detail. The ability of an optical fiber to confine the propagation of electromagnetic waves over a long distance and within a small cross sectional area implies that large optical intensities can be maintained over a long " interaction length even at moderate incident optical power. Part II of this thesis describes some third order nonlinear optical phenomena that have been observed under this condition. Especially, phase conjugation by degenerate four-wave mixing in a fiber has been shown to require significantly less pumping power. The theoretical and experimental studies of four-wave mixing in a liquid-filled fiber are presented. Extensive experimental efforts have been devoted over the last few years to the study of stimulated Raman scattering and the oscillation of the Stokes radiation inside fibers. A detailed theoretical treatment will be given here to describe these effects. The analysis shows that pump depletion due to the nonlinear process is very important in describing the stimulated Raman scattering in low loss fibers and is the dominant saturation effect in a fiber Raman oscillator. Finally, the implications of nonlinear optical phenomena to fiber optic communication will be mentioned.
We have developed a theory for nondegenerate oscillations in optical resonators containing an intracavity phase-conjugate element. The phase-conjugate element consists of a nonlinear transparent medium that is pumped externally by a pair of counterpropagating laser beams of the same frequency and intensity. Phase conjugation of an input beam of slightly different frequency occurs because of nondegenerate four-wave mixing. The theory takes into account linear absorption (or gain) in the medium and is applied to study the threshold behavior of phase-conjugate oscillators. For the special case of no conventional mirrors, the phase-conjugate oscillator reduces to an ordinary phase-conjugate mirror, and our general formulation yields the results of previous studies. Our analysis shows that the parametric gain required for oscillation increases (or decreases) as a result of linear absorption (or gain) in the medium, and oscillation can occur at a frequency different from that of the pump beams in the presence of large linear gain (or loss). The effects of linear absorption (or gain) on the filter operation are also examined.
This thesis describes theoretical and experimental aspects as well as potential applications in the field of coherent optics known as Phase Conjugate Optics (PCO). By utilizing nonlinear optical techniques, real-time or wavefront reversal of an arbitrary incident electromagnetic field can be realized. The nonlinear optical interaction gives rise to what is referred to as the phase conjugate (of the incident monochromatic wave) by performing the operation of complex conjugation upon the incident wave's complex spatial amplitude in real time. This conjugate wave, which is also designated as being a wavefront, has the property of exactly retracing the path of the incident field. The ability of the conjugate wave to correct for inhomogeneous linear and nonlinear (intensity-dependent) aberrations as well as polarization distortions is proved. In particular, the theory of a degenerate four-wave nonlinear optical interaction as providing for the conjugator is presented. The effects of linear and nonlinear losses upon this interaction are discussed. The quantum mechanical origin of the third order nonlinear optical susceptibility responsible for the four-wave mixing process is analyzed for both single and two-photon allowed transitions in an atomic (or molecular) system. The analogies of four-wave mixing with that of real-time holography are discussed. The theory of conjugation via four-wave mixing in optical waveguides is presented. Several of the above characteristics of conjugate fields are verified experimentally where conjugate fields via degenerate four-wave mixing were observed both in the bulk and in waveguide geometries, using carbon disulfide as the nonlinear medium. Amplified time-reversed wavefront generation as well as a mirrorless optical parametric mode of oscillation have been observed, both in agreement with theoretical predictions. Potential applications of PCO are discussed in three different regimes: spatial-frequency, temporal-frequency, and spatial/temporal frequency domains. In the first category, the ability of PCO to correct for image modal dispersion in optical waveguides as well as the use of PCO to perform real-time coherent image processing and nonlinear microscopy is discussed. Temporal-frequency domain applications of PCO to be analyzed include the use of a nearly degenerate four-wave mixing process as a narrowband, wide field-of-view optical filter, capable of an amplified bandpass. The ability of a PCO interaction to renarrow (transform limited) optical pulses which have been temporally spread due to propagation through (group velocity) dispersive channels is analyzed. A potential application of PCO in the field of nonlinear laser spectroscopy is presented. Specifically, the scattering of a probe photon off a two-photon coherent state (created in a three-level atomic system) is shown to yield a conjugate replica. This conjugate replica is capable of providing sub-Doppler width resolution of the two-photon resonance. Further, in the transient regime, the optical free-induction decay of the conjugate wave is capable of yielding detailed spectral features of the three-level system such as the anharmonic contribution to a (nearly) harmonic potential. This technique, performed in the time domain, is known as [alpha]-beat spectroscopy. Finally, a detailed theoretical and experimental study is presented of a laser resonator in which one (or both) of the mirror(s) comprising the optical cavity is replaced by a conjugate mirror (PCM). This novel resonator, which is termed a conjugate resonator (PCR), combines many of the spatial- and temporal-frequency aspects of PCO interactions discussed above. The stability criterion, transverse and longitudinal mode spectra, and the PCR output energy, as well as the frequency locking features of the laser modes to the PCM are discussed.
Coupled ion pairs in solids have played an important role in the development of new solid-state lasers. The long-range interaction among two or more ions provides a channel for the inversion of population, leading to the discovery of new emission lines. Because of the relatively large optical cross sections, coupled ion pairs may provide new media for the implementation of a solid-state phase conjugate mirror. We present a theory of optical phase conjugation via four-wave mixing in such novel materials. For a model ion-doped solid-state system, the calculations give the following conclusions. First, the spectral linewidth is proportional to the square root of the intensity of the radiation field in an inhomogenously broadened material for fixed ion density. Second, the linewidth decreases with increasing ion density for the fixed intensity level. And last, the saturation intensity also decreases with increasing ion density for the fixed optical intensity. The behavior of the linewidth and the saturation intensity are attributed to the strong interaction among two nearest-neighbor ion pairs, which leads to the generation of additional energy dumping pathways.
The use of resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing to generate high reflectivity phase-conjugate waves is discussed. A physical understanding of the mechanisms underlying the nonlinear response for a simple two-level system is presented followed by a discussion of the complicating effects of pump absorption, pump depletion, unbalanced pumps, and thermal motion. Modifications of the theory to describe four-level behavior are presented and compared with experiments. The application of nearly degenerate four-wave mixing to narrow-band filtering complicated by the A. C. Stark effect is dis-cussed along with examples of experimental observations.
We report on a theoretical and modeling study of self-pumped four-wave mixing in a Brillouin medium. A theoretical analysis gives expressions for the threshold intensity and for the steady-state reflectivity at small input intensities. Operation over a range of input intensities is also investigated by using a computer model that predicts that, for high input intensities, the conjugate can become unstable and oscillate chaotically in time. Experimentally we observe phase conjugation with an input threshold 25 times less than that required for phase conjugation by stimulated Brillouin scattering.