Steering, splitting, and cloning of an optical beam in a coherently driven Raman gain system

Abstract

We propose an all-optical anti-waveguide mechanism for steering, splitting, and cloning of an optical beam beyond the diffraction-limit. We use a spatially inhomogeneous pump beam to create an anti-waveguide structure in a Doppler broadened N -type four-level Raman gain medium for a co-propagating weak probe beam. We show that a transverse modulated index of refraction and gain due to the spatially dependent pump beam hold the keys to steering, splitting and cloning of an optical beam. We have also shown that an additional control field permits the propagation of an optical beam through an otherwise gain medium without diffraction and instability. We further discuss how finesse of the cloned images can be increased by changing the detuning and intensity of the control field.