Abstract

We report several recently observed optical wave mixing effects in thin films of nonlinear materials, such as liquid crystals and silicon. Kerrlike local and nonlocal and diffusive nonlinear resonses are studied. The presence of the diffracted beam is, theoretically and experimentally, shown to have a pronounced effect on the amplification of the probe beam in pump–probe wave mixing. The diffracted beam also drastically alters the phase conjugation reflection of the probe beam, phase conjugation self-oscillation threshold, and aberration correction characteristics.

© 1988 Optical Society of America