Optical instabilities in sodium vapor

Year: 1988

Authors: Giusfredi G., Valley J.F., Pon R., Khitrova G., Gibbs H.M.

Autors Affiliation: Optical Sciences Center, University of Arizona
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO)

Abstract: We present here instabilities observed in the transverse profile of a continuous-wave light beam that crosses a sample of sodium vapor twice by means of a feedback mirror. The wave front and the intensity of the beam are spatially modulated by the intensity-dependent dispersive and absorptive action of the vapor. Experimental evidence indicates that the vapor acts as a phase-conjugate mirror, thus providing an active cavity when it is coupled with the feedback mirror. The instabilities develop as a consequence of sideband generation at the resonant modes of this cavity. The transverse-mode profiles of these sidebands are analyzed experimentally.

Journal/Review: JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B: OPTICAL PHYSICS

Volume: 5 (5)      Pages from: 1181  to: 1192

KeyWords: Optical istabilities; spatio-temporal; Sodium; phase conjugation;
DOI: 10.1364/JOSAB.5.001181

Citations: 96
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