Beam steering using optical parametric amplification in Kerr medium: a space-time analogy of parametric slow-light

In a way analogous to a light pulse that can be optically delayed via slow light propagation in Kerr-type nonlinear media, we theoretically demonstrate that beam steering and spatial walk-off compensation can be achieved in noncollinear optical parametric amplification. We identify this effect as a result of the quadratic phase shift induced by parametric amplification that leads to the cancellation of the spatial walk-off and collinear propagation of all beams though they have different wavevectors. Experimental evidence is reported of a soliton array steering in a Kerr slab waveguide. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America