LOW-THRESHOLD PHASE-CONJUGATE MIRRORS BASED ON POSITION-INSENSITIVE TAPERED WAVE-GUIDES

The potential for substantial threshold reduction in stimulated Brillo uin scatter phase conjugate mirrors (PCMs) was systematically studied using tapered hollow glass waveguides filled with carbon disulfide. Us ing a low-threshold PCM of 100 cm straight section length and 10 mum i nner diameter, the threshold was reduced by a factor of 1 000 compared to the bulk liquid threshold. Use of a tapered input alleviated align ment sensitivity normally encountered with small-input-diameter fibers , and allowed for the fabrication of wide-field-of-view PCMs (and Bril louin amplifiers) of a type useful in many applications. Performance o f the low-threshold PCM was found to meet theoretical expectations.