A number of new optical effects that result from degenerate four-wave mixing in transparent optical media are proposed and analyzed. The applications are relevant to time-reversed (phase-conjugated) propagation as well as to a new mode of parametric oscillation.

Optics LettersJul 1, 1977594 citations

Light-scattering limitations for phase conjugation in optical Kerr media

Robert M. McGraw, Daniel N. Rogovin, A. Gavrielides

It is shown that noise from light-scattering fluctuations inherent in an optical Kerr medium sets a lower limit on the incident probe power required to achieve meaningful phase conjugation by four-wave mixing. For visible wavelengths and room temperatures, we determine that about 10 μW of probe power is needed to obtain a signal-to-noise ratio of unity in the conjugate wave for reflectivities that are less than or near the first oscillation condition.

Applied Physics LettersJan 16, 198918 citations