We report the first observation of continuous degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) with color centers in LiF. Using a new technique which permits subkilohertz resolution, we have also observed the nearly degenerate four-wave mixing (NDFWM) spectrum in the visible spectral region.
We report the first observation to our knowledge of continuous-wave four-wave mixing and phase conjugation using color centers. The resonance in γ-irradiated LiF at room temperature is shown to arise from saturated absorption involving intersystem crossing of F2 centers and has a width that reveals the excited-triplet to ground-state-singlet decay rate. This is confirmed by direct measurement of the nearly degenerate four-wave mixing spectrum in the visible spectral region using a jitter-free technique. The observed Lorentzian linewidth of 4.70 Hz (FWHM) is in excellent quantitative agreement with the independently measured phosphorescent decay rate of the lowest triplet levels and a calculation of the spectral response of this three-level spin system owing to decay of ground-state spatial hole burning. The linewidth is predicted to be strongly temperature dependent and indeed narrows to 2.1 Hz on cooling to only −25°C.
We describe the first reported observation of resonantly enhanced phase conjugation through degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) in doped alkali halides. We also describe the first reported quantitative comparison of the resonant DFWM process in the infrared with the theory of Abrams and Lind [Opt. Lett. 2, 94 (1978); 3, 205 (1978)]. The comparison for small values of alpha0L is shown to be excellent. For alpha0L in excess of 3, experiment and theory diverge because of pump attenuation by the resonant medium.
Degenerate Four Wave Mixing (DFWM) and Nearly Degenerate Four Wave Mixing (NDFWM) have attracted a considerable attention in non-linear optics. DFWM has found several applications in phase conjugation, used in real time holography and adaptive optics. To realize a higher amplification of the conjugate wave, semiconductor amplifiers have been used. A theoretical analysis of the NDFWM process has been presented by Agrawal [1]. Here, an experimental and theoretical analysis of NDFWM in Distributed Feedback (DFB) lasers is proposed, where the FWM efficiency is enhanced by the cavity feedback mechanism.