Phase Conjugation

Phase Conjugation

By

Ib Bang.

The phenomenon phase conjugation was discovered by the Russians in the late 1960'es early 1970'es.

It was believed to be very rarely occurring in the nature, but this appears to be incorrect. Now it is considered a common phenomenon in the nature.

It was the same thing regarding electricity. When Volta and Galvani were fiddling with this, they knew it from the phenomena only in which it was directly observable. But at that time static electricity and lightning existed as natural phenomena, but the gentlemen mentioned were not aware of the fact, that they were the results of the same phenomenon which they were studying.

Phase conjugation is a quality of all kinds of waves, thus it can take place in any kind of waves being it sound waves, radio waves or other wave forms. It is not confined to only light waves, but the following explanation takes its basis in optical phase conjugation.

A phase conjugate mirror is a prerequisite of phase conjugation. It is not a mirror in the traditional way. Anyhow, it is best compared to reflections, for which reason I will use that comparison to explain the phenomenon. The difference from an ordinary mirror lies in the fact, that by phase conjugation the reflection is returned to the point of origin. Thus if you are mirrored in a phase conjugate mirror, then you will se nothing but your own pupils, and to be specific, your left pupil with your left eye and your right pupil with your right eye.

A phase conjugate mirror consists of an optical non-linear medium as for instance a liquid, compressed gas or a crystal. Two widely used methods using such materials are stimulated Brillouin scattering and four-wave mixing.

Common for all the following animations is, that the incident light is shown in blue and the reflected replica is shown in red.

Fig. 1. In an ordinary mirror, the light is reflected from one level but at different times. The light first hits the mirror at the top and is reflected from there before the same light wave hits the bottom and consequently is reflected from there somewhat later.

As is shown in fig. 1, then the whole picture is 'inverted' in an ordinary mirror. For instance is the points of the arrows pointing forwards all the time. In a phase conjugate mirror, fig. 2 and fig. 3, the individual waves are reflected in the same way they entered. Because of that the points of the arrows are pointing in the same direction as when emitted; what was initially first, is now suddenly last. As at the same time the replicas are being returned to their point of origin, it corresponds to if it had been recorded at film, that the film is now being shown backwards. This phenomenon is called that the replicas possess 'negative time'.

Fig. 2. In a phase conjugation mirror the factors from the normal mirror are reversed; the reflection takes place simultaneously everywhere (when the colour changes to yellow), but from different levels inside the medium.

Fig. 3. This animation is the same as the previous one, only the speed is altered. In the upper one it is easy to see the direction of the waves. In the lower one it is more easy to see what is happening in the medium.

As is apparent from the animations, then the reflection occurs once for every wavelength. After a reflection the incident wave advances another wavelength after which a new reflection occurs. In other words, the part of the wave which first entered the medium penetrates the furthest. when reflected it now has the longest way before it leaves the medium again, thus it is now behind the rest of the same wave. That is why the arrows still have the same direction (the red reflected ones as compared to the blue incident ones.)

Because the reflection takes place for each wavelength, each wave will penetrate the medium exactly one wavelength before being reflected. This also means, that after another wavelength and the next reflection it will be in phase with the incident wave. In the animation this is clear from the fact, that the red and blue arrows are attached to the same wave at the moment of reflection (the yellow colour). This is elucidated in fig. 4.

Because of the slant angle of the incident wave to the mirror, several waves hit the medium simultaneously. Of course only that part of the wave, which has penetrated the medium is reflected. This means, that a single wave is reflected in several steps. Anyhow, when the reflected waves are in phase with the incident ones at the moment of reflection, then a reflected wave must necessarily hit and be linked phase conjugated to another reflected wave, thus although composed of parts of several reflected waves, then the reflected wave train appears as single unbroken phase conjugated replica.

Fig. 4. Explanation of how the phase conjugation takes place. At each picture the wave train has advanced exactly one wavelength. Thus the pictures represents six successive reflections.

At picture 1 of fig. 4 the wave train has just reached the phase conjugation mirror.

At picture 2 the upper part of the first wave has got a wavelength into the medium, where it is being reflected.

At picture 3 has that in picture 2 refletced replica 1 reached back to wave 3 with which it is in phase. At the same time has the upper part of wave 2 reached a wavelength into the medium where it is returned together with second part of wave 1.

At picture 4 the upper part of wave 1 and 2 are well at their way back at the same time wave 3 is being reflected. Second part of wave 1 is also well at its way back and coincides now with the returning wave 3, by which these two signals are now conjugated and in phase.

At picture 5 the phase conjugated replica of wave 1 and 3 is well at its way back. At the same time the first part of wave 4 and the second part of wave 2 are phase conjugated, and so is the second part of wave 3 with the third part of wave 1.

At picture 6 is that in picture 5 phase conjugated replica consisting of wave 1 and 3 further phase conjugated with wave 5.

As it appears then each second wave are phase conjugated for which reason we after another two reflections will get wave 1, 3, 5, and 7 phase conjugated giving a complete replica, and all successive replicas will be complete, too.

I have written, that the reflections take place once for each wave length. One, because it may be that is the truth, and two, because it makes the explanation easier. But actually I believe it to happen in connection with both the maximum and the minimum parts of the wave; thus twice per wave length. In this case all the even numbers may represent for instance the maximums and the odd numbers thus the minimums. But as all the even numbers are conjugated as are the odd numbers, then both the maximums and the minimums will be conjugated correctly.

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Until now we have been looking at how phase conjugation takes place. We also have taken for granted, that the reflection takes place into the medium at the first occation, the possibility exists. Other factors into the medium has to be considered as well, and if they are not present simultaneously, no reflection will take place. Thus the incident wave can penetrate the medium with more than one wavelength before being reflected. This is being shown in fig. 5, where we will only consider how wave 1 is reflected inside the medium, because all succeeding waves wil be reflected in the same way. At the same time it makes the whole thing more clear.

In the first picture the upper part of wave 1 has just been reflected. In picture 2 it has returned to wave 3, while the middle part of wave 1 has entered the medium, but under circumstances that do not cause a reflection. At picture 3 the middle part has penetrated the medium by yet another wavelength, but the circumstances for a reflection are still not present.

The lower part has entered the medium, too, and has been reflected. At picture 4, finally, is the middle part being reflected. At picture 5 the middle reflection has reached the place where it was at picture 3. Because there was no basis for a reflection at picture 3, there will of course not be at picture 5, either, because the conditions are the same. Because there will still be no basis for a reflection in that place, the wave will continue out the medium. Finally at picture 6 has the wave reached the same place as at picture 2 of which it is clear, that it is in phase with the incident wave and thus with the reflected waves as well.

Thus it won't change a thing, that the reflection first is caused further inside the medium. No further reflections will take place on the way out, but the wave will leave the medium by the same path, that it entered it.

Fig. 5. The reflections will take place, when all the necessary prerequisites are present. Thus not necessarily the first time the other waves are reflected.

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If the light on its way from the source to the phase conjugate mirror passes a distorting medium as for instance a prism, a frosted pane or fog, and which destroys the homogeneous qualities of the light, then the replica will after the reflection in the phase conjugate mirror still return by the same route which it initially followed, for which reason it will at its arrival at its place or origin have regained its initial qualities as shown at fig. 6.

Fig. 6. If the light is refracted due to distortions on its path, these refractions are corrected again when the replica after the reflection retraces its initial path.

Fig. 7. Refractions will take place in a light amplifier, too, both on its way in and out again. These equalizes each other why the replica leaving the light amplifier has the same quality as the light had when entering the amplifier.

This relationship has been shown utilized in fig. 7 in a light amplifier. A weak light is being sent into one end of the light amplifier, in which the light is being amplified, but at the same time distorted. In the phase conjugate mirror the amplified signal is reflected, after which it is again led through the light amplifier and thus amplified further and at the same time the light rays are 'distorted back' recreating their initial quality.

This effect is being utilized to generate powerful laser beams. It is easy to create weak laser beams of a high quality. It is more difficult to create a powerful laser light with a high quality. For that reason a weak laser light is created and the amplified in the way just described giving a powerful light of a high quality.

The same effect can be achieved by means of the initially mentioned four-wave mixing. In this two opposite directed reference waves together with the incident wave create a fourth of the opposite direction of the incident one.

The explanation regarding four-wave mixing I have been told is not in accordance with what follows.

In other words, the following explanation is my own speculations concerning the phenomenon. In almost all areas, however, one theory after the other is replaced by a new one, and when a theory can replace another one, then it is a proof that the previous theory wasn't an expression of the truth but merely a picture of the truth. And as the present theories most likely will be replaced by new ones, then they are nothing but pictures of the truth, either. Apparently we will in all areas have to suffice with pictures of the truth, but these pictures have after all brougt our civilization to its present level.

Thus - if you can use my theories, then it is just fine, and if you cannot, then it will be just as fine. Until further I use them myself in the lack of better ones.

As mentioned then a reference signal which is also called a pump signal is sent into each end of the media.

Sending two waves of the same frequency into a media from opposing ends first of all means, that standing waves are created into the media. And as the media is non-linear the velocity of the waves must be different according to where in that media they move. In the media apparently the conditions shown in fig. 8 are present.

Fig. 8. The prevalent conditions in the media in connection with four-wave mixing created from the reference signals.

The blue lines indicate the places, where the standing waves have their zero-points. And as the velocity is different at different parts of the media, then there must be different phase relationships as well. The red lines indicate the places, where the two signals are in opposite phases and their combined signal thus is zero. In other words, the energy is kept in some 'energy bubbles', where the green ones indicate maximum values and the yellow ones indicate minimum values. These 'energy bubbles' are so called scalars or potentials. As the reference signals consist of wave fronts which move from one end of the media to the opposite end in the entire width and height of this, then the scalars must fill the entire frame as seen from the front. Da referencesignalerne består af bølgefronter, der i hele mediets bredde og højde bevæger sig fra den ene ende til den anden, må skalarerne set forfra fylde hele rammen ud.

As the phase relationship constantly changes, then the dynamic conditions of the reference signals into the media must be as shown in fig. 9.

Fig. 9. The dynamic relationships in the media makes the scalars move perpendicular to the reference signals and between the zero-points of the waves.

Fig. 10. The currents of the particles in the media. Strongest (M) in the zero-points of the waves and weakest (0) where the waves maximize.

As is shown in fig. 10, then the scalars are built from both sides. In other words, the two currents building it meet in the middle why the current is zero where the scalar is most powerful. In the same way it is seen, that the currents come from the neighbouring scalars, where the particles are divided in two currents and sent to the adjacent neighbouring scalars. Thus regardless of whether the scalar represents a maximum value or a minimum value, then the current of the particles is strongest in the zero-point between the two scalars and weakest where the scalars have their maximum value. If we once more look at fig. 8 but with the pattern of the movements superimposed upon it, then is will look as in fig. 11.

Fig. 11. The currents of the particles superimposed upon the scalar pattern.

As is shown in fig. 11, then the scalars and the building forces are phase shifted 90º both vertically and horizontally.

Regarding the scalars, then I have used green to indicate a pressure which is higher than the surroundings and yellow to indicate a pressure which is lower than the surroundings. For the forces building these I have used one colour only, blue, because they deviate only by their directions which on the other hand is shown. Because apart from building the scalars, then they are the 'adhesive' of the scalars, too. Must necessarily be so, because they are the walls of the scalar, because otherwise the scalars just would let the 'higher pressures' fill the 'lower pressures' once and for all. (Which also happens when you turn off the reference signals.)

As it appears that the adhesive power is least when the scalars are most powerful, then it must mean, that even a weak influence at this time must result in very powerful results, simply because it will then be more powerful than the collective power of the two reference signals, which at that time cancel each other, whereas the power being controlled (the scalar) is very powerful.

Fig. 12. When the scalar is most powerful then the adhesive power is least, why a relatively small power will be able to 'pierce a hole' into the scalar letting the energy escape into the direction of the hole, thus in the direction from which the wave came.

In fig. 12 the leading edge (with the highest wave velocity) of the yellow half of the wave has reached the maximum value of the green scalar (least adhesive power), why it 'pearces a hole' into this letting the energy escape out through this hole and form a replica of the incident wave. As the hole is determined by the direction of the wave, then the outpouring scalar must be deternined by that, too, and escape the media in the opposite direction. In the drawing it looks as if the incident wave enters above the scalar. As is apparent from fig. 8 and 9, then the scalar fills the window through which the incident wave enters in its entire heigth. The incident wave has at the same time a wavefront of a certain size, for which reason the wave and the scalar necessarily must 'fill the same space'.

Fig. 13. If you pierce a ball with a needle, then the air will escape in that direction, from which the needle came.
In the same way will the energy escape a scalar in the direction from which the influence came.

When you extract energy from a system, it will create an instability into the media and scalars under a certain influence of a wave may be influenced by this instability and thus send their energy in the opposite direction of the incident wave. This is what happens to the yellow scalar with regards to the green wave, which otherwise still haven't reached the critical point of the scalar.

This synchronized 'firing' of all influenced scalars is a necessity to ensure the phase conjugation.

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Fig. 14. By means of a special mirror, the incident wave can be separated from the outgoing replica.

If nothing special is done, then the amplified replica will only be returned to the light source, where you normally will be able to use it for nothing. Thus, as shown in fig. 14, a special mirror is placed in between reflecting the incident wave into the light amplifier and phase conjugate mirror, which may be the set-up shown in fig. 7 or as four-wave mixing, whereas the reflected replica passes the mirror making it available for anything you might want to use it for.

Fig. 15. By means of a light source you illuminate the object, where you want to collect the energy. That object reflects the light into the light amplifier and phase conjugate mirror, and in that way it gets the total amount of energy in return.

If you want to send the total amount of energy into an object, the position of which is not exactly known to you, you may send a light beam in the expected direction, and when/if you hit the object, it will reflect the light into the light amplifier and in that way get the total amount of energy back in return.

These last examples also indicates, that it is possible to send enormeous amounts of energy without losses and without cables over far distances. This is due to the fact, that the phase conjugate mirror gathers the outgoing energy instead of scattering it. In this fact alone lie some promising possibilities for the concept of phase conjugation.

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