title: Brillouin-enhanced four-wave-mixing vector phase-conjugate mirror with beam-combining capability.
abstract: It is often desirable to remove both wave front and polarization aberrations from an optical beam. Scalar phase conjugation, such as ordinary stimulated Brillouin scattering, can correct only for wave-front aberrations. We have developed a new geometry for Brillouin-enhanced four-wave mixing that performs vector phase conjugation to correct for both wave-front and polarization distortions. Results show a reduction in the depolarization losses from 50% to less than 2% of the total output energy. Coherent, variable, multiple-beam combination is achieved without need of nonreciprocal devices such as Faraday rotators.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Bowers
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Boyd
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hankla