Title :
Signal-to-noise characteristics of nonlinear optical amplifiers
Author :
Boyd, Robert W. ; Agarwal, G.S. ; Davis, W.V. ; Gaeta, A.L. ; Kauranen, M. ; Nagasako, E.
Author_Institution :
Inst. of Opt., Rochester Univ., NY, USA
Abstract :
In this paper, we present the results of our theoretical and experimental studies of the noise properties of optical amplifiers that operate by means of nonlinear optical gain processes. We pay particular attention to amplifiers that utilize the nonlinear optical response of strongly driven atomic vapors, and we compare the results of our measurements with theoretical predictions for the quantum noise limit of an optical amplifier. Our work focuses on optical amplifiers that utilize the nonlinear optical response of atomic vapors
Keywords :
multiwave mixing; nonlinear optics; optical noise; resonant states; noise properties; nonlinear optical amplifiers; nonlinear optical gain processes; nonlinear optical response; quantum noise limit; signal-to-noise characteristics; strongly driven atomic vapors; Atom optics; Atomic measurements; Noise measurement; Nonlinear optics; Optical amplifiers; Optical noise; Particle measurements; Quantum mechanics; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Stimulated emission;
Conference_Titel :
Lasers and Electro-Optics Society Annual Meeting, 1993. LEOS '93 Conference Proceedings. IEEE
Conference_Location :
San Jose, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1263-5
DOI :
10.1109/LEOS.1993.379036
