Abstract

The response of a liquid phase suspension of microparticles to electromagnetic radiation is governed by Brownian diffusion as well as by electrostrictive forces. In the present study, we examine the light scattering properties of various order particle density gratings formed in response to a uniformly moving electrostrictive force field. The latter is generated through frequency mismatch between the two counterpropagating pump beams in a four-wave mixing configuration. Time constants for the formation and decay of the scattered wave, saturation effects, and coupling constants for four-wave mixing are determined for the case of a weak probe beam scattered off the density gratings formed in response to arbitrarily strong pump fields.

© 1986 Optical Society of America