光纤放大器中的受激布里渊散射阈值

 从受激布里渊散射(SBS)耦合波理论出发,根据双包层光纤放大器中的受激布里渊散射阈值模型,理论仿真了信号带宽、纤芯直径、放大器增益对SBS阈值的影响,并从实验上研究了单频百纳秒脉冲信号在掺镱双包层光纤放大器中的受激布里渊散射现象。实验中输入脉冲信号重复频率1 Hz,脉宽200 ns,对不同的输入脉冲信号放大,前向放大脉冲在脉冲能量660 nJ、峰值功率3.3 W时出现畸变,产生后向SBS窄脉冲,达到了SBS阈值,实验计算的SBS阈值与理论分析结果基本一致。     

S波段光纤拉曼放大器中级联受激布里渊散射串扰的实验研究

研究了光纤激光器前向抽运的S波段分布式光纤拉曼放大器中级联的受激布里渊散射(SBS)串扰现象。用窄光谱带宽(<100MHz)的可调谐激光二极管作为信号源,通过S波段分布式光纤拉曼放大器,当被放大的信号功率超过单模光纤受激布里渊散射的阈值时,出现了前向受激布里渊散射,这是传导声波布里渊散射在光纤放大器中放大的现象。随着拉曼放大器抽运功率的提高,在斯托克斯区,出现了两阶受激布里渊散射线,在实验中观测到偶数阶的受激布里渊散射谱线功率大于奇数阶的布里渊一瑞利散射线。当进一步增加拉曼放大器的抽运功率,出现了前向级联的多阶受激布里渊散射现象,拉曼放大器的增益下降,被放大的信号功率转换为受激布里渊散射,噪声变大。受激布里渊散射的串扰破坏了拉曼放大器的特性,使拉曼放大器无法在密集波分复用光纤传输系统中使用,因此需要严格地控制入纤的信号功率和放大器的抽运功率。在实验中还观测到在光纤拉曼放大器中被放大的信号光和受激布里渊散射线两侧的伴线。     

Amplification effect on stimulated Brillouin scattering in the S-band forward G652 fiber Raman amplifier

The amplification effects on forward and backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) lines in the forward pumped S-band distributed G652 fiber Raman amplifier (FRA) have been studied. There is a pump threshold power of Stokes backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (B-SBS) line in the forward pumped G652 FRA, it is about 1 mW. The Stokes B-SBS lines are amplified by FRA and fiber Brillouin Brillouin gain. In experimental work, the saturation gain of the first order Stokes backward SBS line is about 58 dB and the saturation gain of 25-km G652 forward FRA is about 25 dB, so the gain of FBA is about 33 dB. The forward stimulated Brillouin scattering (F-SBS) is generated and amplified in S-band G652 FRA. The stimulated threshold powers of the forward first order Stokes SBS (SB1-), second order Stokes SBS (SB2-), and third order SBS (SB3-) in the forward pumped FRA are 2.3, 1.6, and 1.6 mW,respectively. In experimental work, the saturation gains of SB1-, SB2-, and SB3- are about 38, 62, and 60 dB, respectively. The saturation Raman gain of 25-km G652 forward FRA is about 8.8 dB, so the Brillouin gains of SB1-, SB2-, and SB3- are about 29.2, 53.2, and 51.2 dB, respectively. The forward and backward cascaded SBS lines have been observed.     

Means for easy and accurate measurement of the stimulated Brillouin scattering gain coefficient in optical fiber

We propose and investigate an accurate method for the experimental measurement of the stimulated Brillouin scattering gain coefficient in optical fiber. The gain is extracted from measuring the transmitted pump power at the threshold of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) laser oscillation in a Fabry-Perot cavity formed by Fresnel reflection at the fiber ends. The method is free from a range of uncertainties and difficulties of commonly used approaches and is easy to implement. Experimental evidence of the variation of the SBS gain coefficient with numerical aperture of the fiber, first predicted in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1879 (2000)], is proven.     

On the pre-amplified linear cavity multi-wavelength Brillioun-erbium fiber laser with low SBS threshold highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber

An efficient multi-wavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser utilizing low stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber (PCF) is presented. A Fabry-Perot pre-amplified Brillouin pump configuration was used which consists of 100 m PCF and 10 m erbium doped fiber (EDF). Up to 28 output channels with SNR of more than 20 dB could be generated with modest pump power.     

High-gain and low-distortion Brillouin amplification based on pump multi-frequency intensity modulation

Using a pump with a multi-line spectrum to broaden the Brillouin gain bandwidth is an effective way to achieve lowdistortion amplification with high gain. Here, we theoretically and experimentally investigate the generation of a broadband Brillouin gain spectrum based on multi-frequency intensity modulation in an optical fiber. The arbitrary bandwidth of the Brillouin gain spectrum of stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) can be obtained as expected. In our experiment, a broadband Brillouin gain spectrum with a bandwidth of about 200 MHz is demonstrated. We also achieve a low-distortion amplification of a weak signal, whose maximum magnification is 65 d B for a-68-dBm input power signal.     

Numerical analysis of stimulated Brillouin scattering in high-power double-clad fiber lasers

A theoretical analysis of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in linear cavity Yb³⁺-doped double-clad fiber lasers is presented by solving the steady-state rate equations with the SBS. The effects of cavity length, fiber core diameter, input mirror reflectivity at Stokes wavelength, Yb³⁺ concentration and laser linewidth on the SBS are discussed. Numerical results show that the SBS threshold power can be improved by shortening the cavity length, using large mode area fiber, reducing the input mirror reflectivity at Stokes wavelength, lowering the Yb³⁺ concentration and broadening the laser linewidth, and the influence of the laser linewidth on the SBS threshold power is more noticeable than other system parameters.     

Amplification effect on SBS and Rayleigh scattering in the backward pumped distributed fiber Raman amplifier

The amplification effect on stimulated Brillouin scattering （SBS） and Rayleigh scattering in the backward pumped G652 fiber Raman amplifier （FRA） is studied. The pump source is a 1427.2-nm fiber Raman laser whose power is tunable between 0 - 1200 mW, and the signal source is a tunable narrow spectral bandwidth （〈 10 MHz） external cavity laser （ECL）. The Rayleigh scattering lines are amplified by the FRA and Stokes SBS lines are amplified by the FRA and the fiber Brillouin amplifier. The total gain of SBS lines is the production of the gain of Raman amplifier and that of Brillouin amplifier. In experiment, the SBS gain is about 42 dB and the saturation gain of 25-km G652 backward FRA is about 25 dB, so the gain of fiber Brillouin amplifier is about 17 dB.     

增益竞争双波长放大单频光纤放大器理论研究

引入增益竞争是抑制单频光纤放大器中受激布里渊散射(SBS)的有效方式. 在单频光纤放大器的基础上, 推导了描述增益竞争双波长放大单频掺镱双包层光纤放大器的稳态速率方程组, 建立了增益竞争双波长放大单频光纤放大器的理论模型; 利用建立的理论模型模拟分析了信号光波长间隔、 信号光种子功率比、 抽运方式和增益光纤长度等因素对放大器的单频激光输出 效率以及SBS抑制效果的影响.     

A 168-W high-power single-frequency amplifier in an all-fiber configuration

We present a high-power, single-frequency, narrow linewidth fiber amplifier based on master oscillator power amplification chains in an all-fiber configuration. The effect of the delivery fiber on the maximum output power is studied. A home-made 1064-nm seed laser with a 20-kHz linewidth is boosted to 129 W, and limited by stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) when the delivery fiber is 1.2 m long. By shortening the delivery fiber length to 0.7 m, the SBS threshold is increased efficiently and the maximum output power rises to 168 W with an 82.9% power conversion efficiency. The experimental results indicate that the output power can be further raised by shortening the delivery fiber length and increasing the pump power.     

Threshold features of a Brillouin Stokes comb generated in a distributed fiber Raman amplifier

We study threshold features of a Brillouin-shifted Stokes comb generated in a distributed fiber Raman amplifier. When the input power of Brillouin pump is linearly increased in high Raman gain, the first Stokes wave grows exponentially at much lower threshold power and then experiences an appreciable power decrease in the vicinity of the Brillouin comb's threshold. This power reduction of the first Brillouin Stokes, which we did not see mentioned in previous reports, was caused by a power transfer to higher-order lines and initiated Brillouin comb generation. Moreover, the effects of Raman pump power and pumping direction on the threshold of a Brillouin comb are investigated.     

Flat and ultra-broadband two-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers based on photonic crystal fibers

A two-pump fiber optical parametric amplifier (FOPA) based on the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) in the telecommunication region is investigated numerically. The fiber loss and pump depletion are considered. The influences of the fiber length, input signal power, input pump power, and the center pump wavelength on the gain bandwidth, flatness, and peak gain are discussed. The 6-wave model-based analysis of two-pump FOPA is also achieved and compared with that based on the 4-wave model; furthermore, the gain properties of the FOPA based on the 6-wave model are optimized and investigated. The comparison results show that the PCF-based two-pump FOPA achieves flatter and wider gain spectra with less fiber length and input pump power compared to the two-pump FOPA based on the normal highly nonlinear fiber, where the obtained results show the great potential of the FOPA for the optical communication system.     

A 168-W high-power single-frequency amplifier in an all-fiber configuration

We present a high-power,single-frequency,narrow linewidth fiber amplifier based on master oscillator power amplification chains in an all-fiber configuration.The effect of the delivery fiber on the maximum output power is studied.A home-made 1064-nm seed laser with a 20-kHz linewidth is boosted to 129 W,and limited by stimulated Brillouin scattering(SBS) when the delivery fiber is 1.2 m long.By shortening the delivery fiber length to 0.7 m,the SBS threshold is increased efficiently and the maximum output power rises to 168 W with an 82.9% power conversion efficiency.The experimental results indicate that the output power can be further raised by shortening the delivery fiber length and increasing the pump power.     

窄线宽纳秒脉冲光纤拉曼放大器的理论模型和数值分析

窄线宽纳秒脉冲光纤拉曼放大器在非线性频率变换、遥感探测和量子信息等领域有广泛的应用前景.综合考虑受激拉曼散射(stimulated Raman scattering,SRS)、受激布里渊散射(stimulated Brillouin scattering,SBS)、自相位调制(self-phase modulation)和交叉相位调制(cross-phase modulation)等非线性效应,建立了窄线宽纳秒脉冲光纤拉曼放大器的非线性动力学模型.仿真分析了放大器中脉冲激光的时频演化特性,对比研究了抽运脉冲宽度、光纤长度和信号光功率等因素对放大器性能的影响.研究发现,上述因素会影响放大器的SRS阈值、SBS阈值、输出激光线宽、激光转换效率等.例如,当脉冲宽度为800 ns时,SBS随着抽运功率的增加而发生,限制了激光功率的提升;减短抽运脉宽可以抑制SBS,但是输出激光的线宽易于展宽到数百MHz以上;增加光纤长度可以获得更低的SRS阈值和更高的转换效率,但是SBS效应和光谱展宽程度也随之增强.系统搭建中需要平衡各非线性效应,选择合适的系统参数.研究内容可以为窄线宽纳秒脉冲光纤拉曼放大器的设计搭建提供参考.     

Forward and backward intensity noises induced by stimulated Brillouin scattering in optical fiber

The characteristic of intensity noise is degraded when stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) occurs in the fiber transmission systems. We use the localized fluctuating model to study SBS and obtain the curves of intensity fluctuations versus the single-pass gain. Corresponding experiments are also conducted. For the forward light, the relative intensity noise (RIN) dramatically increases at first and gradually stabilizes when the input power is above the SBS threshold. For the backward light, the RIN increases dramatically with the input power near the threshold. As the input power continues to increase, the RIN decreases quickly at first and subsequently decreases slowly. This observation is attributed to the lower frequencies.     

Investigation on the output energy characteristic of optical limiting based on stimulated Brillouin scattering

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) featuring sub-nanosecond response time takes place at a high power threshold, which enables its application at a high power density. When the intensity of input light excesses the SBS threshold, strong SBS process takes place through SBS medium, leading to a quick energy transfer from pump to the Stokes and thereby an optical limiting characteristic in the output energy. In this paper, the correlation between SBS output energy and input power density is numerically simulated and validated in the Nd: YAG Q-switch laser system. The results indicate that not only the output energy exhibits an optical limiting characteristic, but also the clamped value of output energy can be controlled by changing the medium or the focal length.     

18 W single-stage single-frequency acoustically tailored Raman fiber amplifier

A single-mode polarization-maintaining fiber doped to increase the Raman gain while suppressing stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) was utilized in a single-stage counter-pumped Raman fiber amplifier. The SBS suppression was achieved through the acoustic tailoring of the core. A pump probe experiment was conducted to characterize the Brillouin gain and indicated the existence of multiple Brillouin peaks. When the amplifier was seeded with approximately 15 mW of 1178 nm light, 11.5 W of cw output power was obtained with a linewidth ≤2 MHz. The application of a thermal gradient to further mitigate the SBS process increased the output power to 18 W, thus providing a net amplifier gain >30 dB.     

Gain and gain-flatness improved photonic crystal fiber Raman amplifier based on a dual-pass amplification configuration with single pump laser

A gain and gain-flatness improved L-band dual-pass Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) utilizing a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) as gain medium is demonstrated. By introducing complementary gain spectra of typical forward and backward pumping single-pass RFA using the same PCF, we finally achieve average net gain level of 22.5 dB with a ±0.8 dB flattening gain in 20-nm bandwidth from 1595 nm to 1615 nm, which is rare in RFAs with only one single pump and no flattening filter. Compared with the single-pass pump configurations, gain level, flatness and bandwidth are greatly improved by using the dual-pass amplification configuration. The limitation of this configuration caused by multi-path interference (MPI) noise and stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is also discussed.     

Experimental comparison of a Kerr nonlinearity figure of merit including the stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold for state-of-the-art nonlinear optical fibers

We introduce a new figure of merit (FOM) including the input pump power limit associated with stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) for evaluation of the Kerr nonlinearity efficiency of optical fibers. The new FOM is expressed as gammaL(eff)P(SBS) (gamma is a nonlinearity parameter, L(eff) is effective length, and P(SBS) is the SBS threshold), while the conventional FOM is given by gammaL(eff). Using the new FOM, we perform an efficiency comparison among four types of state-of-the-art nonlinear optical fiber: a Bi2O3-based nonlinear fiber, a silica-based holey fiber, a highly nonlinear dispersion-shifted fiber, and a conventional dispersion-shifted fiber. The Bi2O3-based nonlinear fiber is found to have the best Kerr nonlinearity efficiency owing to the superior nonlinear property of the Bi2O3 glass compared with that of the silica.     

Threshold reduction of stimulated Brillouin scattering in photonic crystal fiber

A simple configuration for the reduction of stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold in photonic crystal fiber is presented. The threshold reduction is contributed by the bidirectional pumping scheme through the reflection of transmitted Brillouin pump back to the gain medium. The pump recycling scheme has greatly reduced the Brillouin threshold of a 200-m long of photonic crystal fiber from 50 to 30 mW of Brillouin pump power.