Phase conjugation in a continuous wave diode-pumped Nd:YVO/sub 4/ laser

Summary form only given. In recent years, phase conjugation by degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) in saturable gain media has been the subject of intense investigation for applications to dynamic holography and laser architectures with intracavity phase distortion compensation. The authors demonstrate, for the first time to their knowledge, cw DFWM and dynamic holography in a compact, easy-to-handle diode-pumped Nd:YVO/sub 4/ gain medium. Since the laser itself is used as the nonlinear mirror, no additional gain medium is needed and the counterpropagating pump beams are automatically provided by laser oscillation.