We experimentally investigate the phase of an optical field after it has undergone wave collapse. We confirm the theoretical prediction that it acquires a large cumulative nonlinear phase shift that is highly sensitive to small fluctuations of the laser input power. This results in an effective postcollapse “loss of phase,” whereby the phase of the transmitted beam shows a significant increase in sensitivity to the input fluctuations of the pulse energy. We also investigate interactions between two beams that each undergoes collapse and observe large fluctuations in the output mode profiles, which are due to the postcollapse loss of their relative phase difference. Such effects should occur in all systems that exhibit wave collapse.

• Received 28 May 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.043902