Nonlinear optical phenomena and devices

Parametric amplification of light as a result of frequency-degenerate interaction of two waves in a liquid crystal

A. A. Kovalev, V. N. Sadovskiĭ, N. A. Usova


Abstract: New mechanisms of the cubic nonlinearity of absorbing liquid crystals are proposed. These mechanisms can result in parametric amplification in the case of frequency-degenerate interaction of waves. Amplification is based on the dependence of the pitch of a helix of a cholesteric liquid crystal on temperature or on the concentration of an isomer which is formed as a result of absorption of incident radiation. The possibility of amplification as a result of a gyrothermal effect in nematic liquid crystals is considered. Typical pump intensities required for the observation of these effects amount to a few watts per square centimeter.

UDC: 523.783:535.3

PACS: 42.70.Df, 42.70.Mp, 42.65.Yj, 42.65.Jx, 42.65.An, 42.50.Gy

Received: 20.03.1986

 English version: Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1987, 17:5, 633–636

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