Steady-state theory of backward-traveling-wave parametric interactions

Abstract

We studied the steady‐state parametric interactions of a three‐wave system where one of the waves is a backward‐traveling wave. This situation is shown to lead to complications not previously discussed. Analytical expressions are given for the intensity of the backward‐traveling wave as a function of the pump wave intensity and of parameters characterizing the nonlinear medium. This result shows that backward‐traveling parametric interaction is not quite so efficient an amplification process as suggested by a previous investigation.