Abstract

The origin and statistical behavior of spontaneously generated Raman solitons (SGRSs) are discussed in terms of quantum fluctuations which cause quantum initiation of the Stokes field in a Raman gain medium in the presence of a strong pump field. The macroscopic temporal statistical behavior in superfluorescence, swept-gain superfluorescence, and SGRS is interpreted in terms of the amplification of quantum noise of similar origin. Predictions are presented for the observation of unique macroscopic statistical properties of SGRS as robust direct manifestations of quantum phase fluctuations.

© 1988 Optical Society of America