Abstract

Recent work on SBS phase-conjugation fidelity in CH₄^T TiCL₄ and N₂² has documented the existence of random shot-to-shot fluctuations in SBS fidelity. The authors reported that the fluctuations increase monotonically with increased input energy and limit the useful dynamic range of the SBS process to <10 times the SBS threshold energy. The authors also ruled out competing processes as the source of scatter and concluded that it is a fundamental Limitation in the SBS process. Recent data obtained at TRW using nitrogen and Freon 113 indicate that these fluctuations are readily observed in nitrogen but are absent in Freon at energies up to 50 times threshold, indicating that this is not a fundamental SBS limitation and therefore must be the result of a competing process such as stimulated Raman scattering or self-focusing.

© 1992 Optical Society of America