Quantum-noise-induced macroscopic revivals in second-harmonic generation -art. no. 021803

We investigate the behavior of the fundamental and second-harmonic fields i n phase-matched traveling plane-wave second-harmonic generation, using the full-operator equations of motion. We find that, after a certain interactio n length, both the macroscopic and quantum-statistical properties of the ha rmonic and fundamental fields are qualitatively different from those found in previous analyses. The mean fields do not vary in a monotonic way, but o scillate with the propagation length, leading to an unexpected periodic rev ival of the fundamental field, triggered by the quantum fluctuations always :present in the mode. Accordingly, the amplitude noise of the fundamental, previously predicted to be perfectly squeezed for long interaction lengths, actually reaches a very small minimum for a definite length, then increase s again.