Abstract

Photorefractive phase conjugation is one of the most novel nonlinear optical techniques with applications in such areas as image processing, adaptive optics, laser coupling, and pointing and tracking, to name just a few.¹ Although almost all of the devices demonstrated thus far have exploited a transmission grating written in a photorefractive crystal because of the lower threshold gain required, devices based on a reflection-grating geometry have the potential for a higher gain and faster speed.. In view of the fact that slow speed has been one of the most serious shortcomings of photorefractive devices in many practical applications, it is evident that a configuration that gives a faster response would be highly desirable. For this reason there has been an increased amount of research activity to develop reflection-grating phase conjugation devices in recent years. Indeed, besides the theoretical analysis by Zozulya, et. al. and Stemklar,³ D’yakov et.al.⁴ and Honda, et. al⁵. demonstrated a reflection-grating self-pumped photorefractive ring mirror.

© 1996 IEEE