Abstract

Large signal analyses for degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) have been reported for sometime^(1-3). It was nevertheless not obvious why, in specific examples^(1,2). DFWM exhibits hysteresis and bistability characteristics, whereas in the case of ideal phase conjugation⁽³⁾, there is no such instability. The objective of this paper is to show that hysteresis and bistability are caused by phase variations in the interaction. These phase variations are detrimental to phase conjugation and may Indeed up-set the basic characteristies of phase conjugation.

© 1985 Optical Society of America