Abstract

In the presence of resonant multiphoton excitation, experimental observations of photoionization, fluorescence, and amplified spontaneous emission have shown suppression of these effects.¹ There is a common mechanism tying these phenomena together. All these processes involve the coherent nonlinear coupling of two or more optical waves via a dissipative nonlinear optical medium. Independent of initial conditions, as these waves propagate through the nonlinear medium, they develop amplitudes and relative phases that minimize the dissipative losses. The condition of minimum loss is one in which the excitation of the nonlinear medium is reduced due to the waves being in a state of nonlinear optical balance. This balance is stabilized by the dissipation. Other combinations of amplitude and phase are more lossy and rapidly damped out.

© 1987 Optical Society of America