Highly efficient phase conjugation using spatially nondegenerate four-wave mixing in a broad-area laser diode

Abstract

We report spatially nondegenerate four-wave mixing in a broad-area laser diode that acts as a fast phase conjugate mirror with nanosecond response times and high efficiencies. Phase conjugate reflectivities were found to depend strongly on the bias current of the broad-area laser diode. Operating the laser diode in an injection-locked regime above the lasing threshold gave phase conjugate reflectivities as high as 165%.