Stimulated brillouin review: Invented 50 years ago and applied today

Abstract

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is embedded today in a variety of optical systems, such as advanced high-power lasers, sensors, microwave signal processors, scientific instrumentation, and optomechanical systems. Reduction in SBS power requirements involves use of optical fibers, integrated optics, micro-optic devices, and now nano-optics, often in high Q cavities. It has taken fifty years from its earliest invention by conceptual discovery until today for SBS to become a practical and useful technology in a variety of applications. Some of these applications are explained and it is shown how they are tied to particular attributes of SBS: Phase conjugation, frequency shifts, low noise, narrow linewidth, frequency combs, optical and microwave signal processing, etc.