Optical switching and amplification in counter-propagating difference frequency generation

We present a theoretical analysis of second-order nonlinear difference frequency generation (DFG) in a generalized mirrorless quasi-phase-matching(QPM) frame, aimed at a comparison of counter-propagating difference frequency generation configuration (CDFG) to other DFG schemes, in view of all-optical processing and optical amplifying applications. The evolution of propagating fields within the material have been calculated in dependence of operating parameters. The increased complexity in the evolution of amplitude and phase for fields interacting in CDFG with respect to forward-propagating DFG(FDFG) is at the basis of a dramatic increase in optical amplification under particular settings of device parameters. © 2000 SPIE.