INVESTIGATIONS OF OPTICAL FEEDBACK USED TO ENHANCE STIMULATED SCATTERING

The technique of using optical feedback to enhance the phase-conjugation process of stimulated Brillouin scattering is experimentally and theoretically investigated. Several feedback arrangements are experimentally studied and demonstrate the ability to significantly reduce the threshold power requirement, enhance the efficiency, and improve the phase-conjugate fidelity of the Brillouin process. Steady-state analytical solutions of the interactions are derived, including the effects of laser pump depletion. Numerical modeling is also presented to introduce the more-complete transient effects. Good agreement between the experimental results using a pulsed Nd: YAG laser system and the numerical simulations is achieved. The results of this paper are applicable, with modifications, to other forms of stimulated scattering and also self-pumped photorefraction. © 1990 IEEE