Can Beat Frequencies Affect Light?

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Beat frequencies, commonly understood in sound and RF, face challenges when applied to light due to the lack of a medium for mixing in air or vacuum. While light does not interact with itself at typical power levels, optical mixing could potentially be achieved using a master oscillator to stabilize a resonant cavity. The discussion suggests that a photodiode might be necessary for this process. Additionally, generating beat frequencies may be possible through mixing optical signals in a second-order nonlinear medium. Overall, the feasibility of using beat frequencies with light remains uncertain but intriguing.
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I know how beat frequencies work with sound. I know they exist in RF so how do they affect light?
 
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The difficulty is that they need a medium to mix in.
Light doesn't interact with light in air or vacuum (at sensible power levels)

A radio uses beat frequencies to mix the received signal with a carrier in a diode, I can't think of a similair substance for light.
 
I think it can be done optically using a master oscillator, as a way to stabilize a resonant cavity. Not sure about the equipment- a photodiode of some sort, most likely.
 
You can generate difference (beat) frequencies by mixing optical signals in a second-order nonlinear medium.

Claude.
 
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