Abstract

Nonlinear optical elements based on stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) are serious candidates for energy scaling in high-power laser systems with high-quality beams. SBS components, such as high-gain amplifiers, high-power phase-conjugated mirrors, multiple-beam combiners, phase lockers, coherent filters, light valves, and power limiters, require an efficient and safe SBS medium. We report a new SBS liquid medium, the heavy perfluorocarbons, with what we believe to be the highest reflectivity available to date. 98% reflectivity was measured in a single-cell generator with a simple focusing geometry operating as a self-pumped phase-conjugated mirror able to conjugate 7-J laser pulses.

© 1995 Optical Society of America