The feasibility of C. W. degenerate four-wave mixing in the far-infrared to millimeter region using an artificial Kerr medium

Using the results of Rogovin, the C. W. submillimeter phase conjugate reflectivities and response times of various prototype suspensions have been calculated for the degenerate four-wave mixing geometry. Assuming realistic liquid and particle optical constants as well as realistic submillimeter laser pump powers it is demonstrated that phase conjugate reflectivities approaching or exceeding unity could be expected in the strong pump limit for a wavelength of ≈100 microns. For longer wavelengths phase conjugation is not practical because the grating formation time exceeds the particle fall time hence no spatial grating can be formed. However, it is shown that if the particle buoyancy could be increased, phase conjugation could proceed with high efficiency at longer wavelengths.