Three-wave mixing with three incoming waves: Signal-Idler Coherent Cancellation and Gain Enhancement in a Parametric Amplifier
arXiv:1301.1696 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.073903
Abstract
Coherent, purely-dispersive three-wave mixing systems in optics and superconducting microwave circuits can be operated as parametric amplifiers, generating from a pump wave at one frequency amplified signal and idler waves at lower frequencies. Here we demonstrate the reciprocal process using a Josephson amplifier in which coherently imposed signal and idler beams up-convert to the pump frequency. For signal and idler beams strong enough to significantly deplete the pump, we show that this reciprocal process ("coherent cancellation") leads to large, phase-sensitive modulation and even enhancement of the amplifier gain, in good agreement with theoretical predictions.
5 pages, 4 figures. Supplemental Material can be found under ancillary files