Two-wave mixing with gain in an optically addressed liquid-crystal light valve

Summary form only given. We demonstrate amplification of a laser beam via two-wave mixing in a Bi/sub 12/SiO/sub 20/ (BSO) liquid-crystal light valve with very low input intensities. Since LCLV can be designed for various ranges of wavelengths, it is also expected that this effect may be observed in spectral regimes not easily accessible by current nonlinear materials.