Loss of phase of collapsing beams

Bonggu Shim, Samuel E. Schrauth, Alexander L. Gaeta, Moran Klein, Gadi Fibich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We experimentally investigate the phase of an optical field after it has undergone wave collapse. We confirm the theoretical prediction that it acquires a large cumulative nonlinear phase shift that is highly sensitive to small fluctuations of the laser input power. This results in an effective postcollapse "loss of phase," whereby the phase of the transmitted beam shows a significant increase in sensitivity to the input fluctuations of the pulse energy. We also investigate interactions between two beams that each undergoes collapse and observe large fluctuations in the output mode profiles, which are due to the postcollapse loss of their relative phase difference. Such effects should occur in all systems that exhibit wave collapse.

Original languageEnglish
Article number043902
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume108
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Jan 2012

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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