High Gain Threshold-less Laser System based on Optical Phase Conjugation

In this Phase II proposal, we outline a plan to design and build a novel ultra sensitive and high-gain laser system. Its operation is based on a high-gain thresholdless optical phase-conjugate mirror. Such a laser system will be capable of tracking remote objects. A stimulated Brillouin scattering effect is used in the proposed approach for development of a high-gain pulsed laser system in an intra-cavity four-wave mixing architecture. In this proposal, we outline the operational principles of the system and show how the high-gain conditions (up to 10^8) can be achieved for a minimal intensity level of a signal of 10^-14 J. During Phase I, we performed an extensive theoretical analysis of the laser system with Brillouin Enhanced Four-Wave Mixing and built a breadboard to carry out experimental tests in laboratory conditions and demonstrated the key components of the system and its operation. These results proved the feasibility of this technique for a laser system with high-gain near thresholdless operation. During Phase II, we plan to scale up the technology for field demonstration.