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Photonics Dictionary

Brillouin scattering

Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon in physics where an incident electromagnetic wave (usually light) interacts with acoustic phonons (quantized lattice vibrations) in a material, resulting in the scattering of the incident light. This phenomenon is named after the French physicist Leon Brillouin, who made significant contributions to the understanding of wave interactions in crystals.

There are two main types of Brillouin scattering:

Stimulated Brillouin scattering: In SBS, an incident photon (usually laser light) interacts with acoustic phonons in a medium. The energy and momentum of the incident photon are transferred to the acoustic phonons, resulting in the creation of a scattered photon with a slightly different frequency (Stokes shift). Another scattered photon, called the anti-Stokes photon, can also be generated with a frequency higher than that of the incident photon.

SBS is particularly important in the field of optics and fiber optics, where it can be both a useful effect and a limiting factor in optical communication systems.

Spontaneous Brillouin scattering: Similar to SBS, spontaneous Brillouin scattering occurs without an external source of radiation. Instead, the acoustic phonons responsible for the scattering are thermally excited within the material. The resulting scattered light can provide information about the material's properties, such as its sound velocity.

This type of Brillouin scattering is often observed in materials like liquids and gases.

Brillouin scattering is useful in various scientific and technological applications. In optical communication systems, for example, SBS can be both a benefit and a limitation. On the positive side, it can be exploited for sensing applications, such as distributed temperature and strain measurements in optical fibers. On the negative side, SBS can impose limitations on the power levels that can be used in certain optical communication systems, as it can lead to energy loss and signal distortion.

In summary, Brillouin scattering is a phenomenon where the interaction between light and acoustic phonons in a material results in the scattering of the incident light, leading to frequency shifts in the scattered photons.

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