Nonlinear Optics and Optical Physics

The following sections are included:

• PREFACE

• CONTENTS

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Nonresonant and Resonant Multiphoton Ionization of Atoms
  • LOPT and Adiabatic Theory of MPI Processes
  • Multiple Ionization of Atoms
  • Saturation
  • Experimental Techniques

• Above-Threshold Ionization
  • Keldish–Reiss–Faisal Theory for Low Intensity Beams

• Harmonic Generation
  • The Experimental Setup
  • Harmonic Generation in a Neutral Gas
  • Harmonic Generation with IR Radiation
  • Harmonic Generation in an Ionized Medium
  • Temporal Evolution of the Harmonic Intensity
  • Influence of the Focusing Geometry and Limits of a Perturbative Approach
  • Theoretical Analysis of Harmonic Generation

• Properties of the Plasma Generated in MPI Processes
  • Mean Field Theory of Plasma Produced in MPI Processes
  • Integration of the Vlasov Equation
  • Transport of a Gaussian Packet
  • Size vs. Time
  • Particle Transport Characteristics of the TOF
  • Partially Neutralized Ion Cloud
  • Deviation from the Linear Field Profile

• Conclusions

• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Transverse Shift of the Circularly Polarized Beam (CPB) due to Refraction

• Differential Equations for a Trajectory and Polarization of the Ray. Hamilton's Form of the Equations

• Optical Magnus Effect in a Graded-Index Waveguide

• Optical Ping-Pong Effect in a Step-Like Index Waveguide

• Paraxial Approximation for Maxwell's Equations

• Spin-Orbit Corrections to the Paraxial Approximation: Hermitian Interaction Hamiltonian

• The Wave Description of the Optical Magnus Effect

• Conclusion

• Acknowledgement

• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Phenomenological Aspects

• Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors

• Linear Faraday Effect

• Photoinduced Faraday Rotation

• Extensions

• References

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Local Field Effects in Linear Optics of Homogeneous Materials

• Local Field Effects in Nonlinear Optics of Homogeneous Materials

• Linear Optical Properties of Composite Optical Materials

• Nonlinear Optical Properties of Composite Optical Materials

• Experimental Studies of Local Field Corrections for a Dense Atomic Vapor

• Conclusions

• Acknowledgements

• References

The process of the spontaneous emission (SpE) from an active microscopic cavity (microcavity) is shown with emphasis on mirror separation of the order of the optical wavelength. The relevant effects of SpE enhancement and inhibition, nonexponential decay and emission anisotropy are outlined for a cavity terminated by mirrors bearing either metal (or semiconductor) multilayered coatings. Finally, an experiment regarding the possibility of detecting the field distribution within the cavity of the emission wavelength is shown.

The Liouville equation for the density matrix can be recast so that the external field terms which couple density matrix elements are second order in the field. This approach is shown to have a profound effect on the steady-state analysis of strong field resonant nonlinear optical problems. First, in the case where parity or appropriate field restrictions apply, there is a reduction of the number of coupled equations which must be solved by at least a factor of two. Second, this reformulation naturally leads to radiative renormalization terms which are directly related to saturation, Stark shifts and Rabi splittings. We can use this simple formalism to obtain solutions to a number of resonant nonlinear problems, including cases where there are two or more strong fields. The renormalization described here is equivalent to a Dyson equation analysis.

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Saturation-Related X-ray Nonlinear Effects in Plasma

• X-ray Third Harmonic Generation in Plasmas of Alkali-Like Ions

• Soft-X-ray Nonlinear Optics in Non-Ionized Media

• Conclusion

• References

A critical review of the orientational, thermal and density contributions to the optical nonlinearities of the nematic, and the isotropic phases of liquid crystal is presented.

An introduction to the nonlinear optical behavior of crystalline organic semiconductor quantum wells is presented. The properties of these materials are shown to support the existence of intrinsic optical bistability, two-beam coupling energy transfer and four-wave mixing processes. We apply these results to the description of novel optical waveguide modulators, and show that the optical transfer functions can evolve from well-known optical modulator behavior to switching/bistable operation as the frequency detuning of the laser from the exciton resonance is varied.

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Linear Waveguides and Modes

• Wave Propagation In Nonlinear Waveguides — Soliton Effects

• Nonlinear Interferometric Devices

• Nonlinear Beam Coupling Devices

• Polarization Switching Devices
  • Rocking Filter Fibers
  • Polarization Instabilities

• Soliton Switching Devices
  • Soliton Dragging Gates
  • Switching via Soliton Collisions

• Summary

• References

An overview of the basic concepts of optical phase conjugation is presented, along with its implementation via externally pumped four-wave mixing in a system of two-level atoms. Detailed theoretical developments are provided to model the process in a resonant atomic system, with examples provided for a nonlinear interaction occurring in sodium vapor. Experimental procedures and results for this type of process are included. Near-resonant two-wave mixing processes in atomic systems are also discussed, both theoretically and experimentally, as well as their role in self-pumped optical phase conjugation in two-level media.

The photorefractive effect and its applications to optical information processing are reviewed. The fundamental limit of the speed of the photorefractive effect, the dynamics of grating formation and the dynamic range limited by the scattering due to discrete charge particles are discussed. Wave mixing processes, including two-wave mixing (TWM), four-wave mixing (FWM) and phase conjugation, are considered. Some fundamental properties of grating diffraction, such as grating action and reciprocity, are described. We also describe some recent applications of the photorefractive effect, including parallel subtraction of Fourier power spectrum, optical thresholding and maximum operations.

Optical parametric oscillators are powerful solid state sources of broadly tunable coherent radiation capable of covering the entire spectral range from the near uv to the mid ir and can operate down to the femtosecond time domain. As a result of recent advances in nonlinear optical materials research, these oscillators are now practical devices with broad potential applications in research and industry. The basic physics of the optical parametric process and recent developments in practical optical parametric oscillators are reviewed in this article.

In this work, we examine the current techniques for generation and amplification of ultrashort laser pulses. Examples of applications of ultrashort pulses covering different areas from fundamental physics to more applied fields are presented.

The following sections are included:

• Introduction

• Preparation of Porous Glass and Optical Composite Materials

• Distinctive features of porous glass structures and peculiarities of their symmetry

• Refraction, Birefringeucy and Scattering in Porous Glass

• Nonlinear Scattering of Light in Microheterogeneous Medium based on Porous Glass

• Lasers on Porous Glass

• Conclusions

• References

By adjusting an extensive control parameter analogous to the hydrodynamic “aspect ratio”, the optical field generated by a nonlinear interaction within a ring cavity displays two successive regimes: a single mode one and a regime where many modes coexist. In the former case, mode competition prohibits coexistence, thus modes alternate one per time, in a regular (periodic alternation) or chaotic (chaotic itinerancy) time sequence, but with spatial coherence. In the latter case, many modes coexist with loose spatial correlations (space-time chaos). The phase of the two-dimensional optical field is characterized by singularities or topological defects. The defect pattern evolves in time according to the nonlinear dynamics and their mean separation scales as the spatial correlation length of the field. A theoretical model explains the relevant physical features and yields numerical results in qualitative agreement with the experiment.