Abstract

In an effort to generate a flat phase front from the output of a laser system, great interest in the uses of phase conjugation has arisen. A simple technique of implementing phase conjugation is through use of a stimulated Brillouin scattering cell filled with either a liquid or a gas. Here we cover fundamental characterization of phase conjugation by stimulated Brillouin scattering. The experimental objectives are to characterize the launched and SBS return diagnostics to quantify the physics of the SBS process. A spatially filtered Nd:YAG laser was used so that accurate low-energy UV experiments which address key phase conjugation issues could be performed. The laser parameters which were varied include the bandwidth and energy. The system parameters which were varied include f/No., aberration strength, and spatial frequency.

© 1988 Optical Society of America