Superluminal pulse propagation in an erbium fiber laser

It is well known that saturating gain media can give rise to superluminal pulse propagation velocity. In most mode-locked lasers the effect is unmeasurably small and has not yet been directly demonstrated. We present experiments on the initial transient of an erbium fiber laser that show a dynamic shift in the propagation velocity to a value larger than the medium’s linear group velocity as the pulse builds up. Received: 14 December 1998 / Revised version: 21 May 1999 / Published online: 25 August 1999     

Superluminal propagation at negative group velocity in optical fibers based on Brillouin lasing oscillation

We report superluminal propagation in optical fibers using Brillouin lasing oscillation in a ring cavity. Negative group velocity propagation through a 10-m single mode fiber has been experimentally demonstrated. An advancement of 221.2 ns was observed before the input signal, which was achieved with a very high slope efficiency of 211.3 ns/dB. This indicates that this way is suitable for long-distance low-loss superluminal propagation via optical fibers. Correspondingly, the group velocity is -0.151c and the group index is -6.636-the highest group velocity ever reported for optical fibers.     

Investigation and applications of all-fiber brillouin ring resonator lasers

We examine the theoretical and experimental behavior of Brillouin ring resonator lasers (BRRL), highlighting differences between Brillouin scattering in ring resonators and long fiber lengths. The theory, which assumes that the nonlinear interaction is welldescribed by two coupled equations for the optical waves, agrees well with measured data. We examine the single and multimode behavior of BRRL and show how this may be usefully implemented in microwave signal generation, in Stimulated Brillouin Scattering gain studies, and to realize a new form of all-fiber frequency shifter.     

室温条件下掺铥光纤放大器中光波群速减慢的研究

从掺铥离子光纤的速率方程和传输方程出发,建立了掺铥离子光纤放大器中光速减慢的理论模型,分析并讨论了介质的增益与泵浦光功率之间的关系。当掺铥离子光纤处于吸收区域时,粒子布居振荡导致光脉冲经历了饱和吸收过程,此时光脉冲传输延迟;当掺铥离子光纤处于增益区域时,粒子布居振荡导致光脉冲经历了增益饱和过程,此时脉冲传输超前。依据该理论模型进行了理论仿真计算,同时进行了室温条件下掺铥离子光纤中光波群速减慢传输的研究。     

Coupled longitudinal and transverse stimulated Brillouin scattering in single-mode optical fibers

Due to their finite numerical aperture, both longitudinal and transverse stimulated Brillouin scattering can occur in single-mode fibers. We discuss the role of the fiber structure and propose a coherent model accounting for both effects. We show experimentally and numerically that, in some cases, the perturbative cladding Brillouin scattering (CBS) can severely affect the dynamics of SBS Brillouin fiber lasers. New dynamical regimes of long-fiber Brillouin ring lasers are presented, including stable trains of modulated pulses. Received 17 September 2001 / Received in final form 5 March 2002 Published online 28 June 2002     

室温条件下掺铒光纤中光脉冲群速可控特性的研究

利用相干布居振荡技术在介质吸收光谱上产生烧孔，孔宽大约为基态粒子数恢复时间的倒数. 由增益理论分析得到不同抽运光功率对介质吸收状态的影响. 在介质的吸收区域，振荡导致光脉冲经历饱和吸收，脉冲传输延迟；在介质的增益区域，振荡又导致光脉冲经历增益饱和，脉冲传输超前. 应用此技术在掺铒光纤中实现了光速人为可控. 在掺铒光纤晶体中观测到了最慢为2.857×10³m/s的光速减慢传输，相应感生群折射率为10.5×10⁴. 根据布居振荡效应及增益理论，由速率方程出发，得到了 关键词： 光谱烧孔 相干布居振荡 饱和吸收 慢光     

Distributed measurement of chromatic dispersion by four-wave mixing and Brillouin optical-time-domain analysis

A new nondestructive method for measuring the spatial distribution of chromatic dispersion along an optical fiber is presented. It is based on using Brillouin optical time-domain analysis to probe the power distribution of the four-wave mixing generated by two continuous-wave lasers. The results obtained prove that this new method is capable of providing better performance than comparable techniques. Furthermore, sensing the variations of Brillouin gain maximum produces additional information about the fiber, such as presence of strain and concentration of GeO2.     

Brillouin propagation modes in optical lattices: interpretation in terms of nonconventional stochastic resonance

We report the first direct observation of Brillouin-like propagation modes in a dissipative periodic optical lattice. This has been done by observing a resonant behavior of the spatial diffusion coefficient in the direction corresponding to the propagation mode with the phase velocity of the moving intensity modulation used to excite these propagation modes. Furthermore, we show theoretically that the amplitude of the Brillouin mode is a nonmonotonic function of the strength of the noise corresponding to the optical pumping, and discuss this behavior in terms of nonconventional stochastic resonance.     

双脉冲序列激光放大实验研究

掺Yb~(3+)类高饱和通量增益介质的储能提取,会给激光器带来严重的安全风险,因此提出一种激光脉冲的时分复用放大技术。利用激光的偏振特性以及自由空间传输延迟,获得脉冲参数可变的脉冲序列,并进行验证实验。结果表明,时分复用放大与单脉冲放大的增益没有明显差别,且在约1.4 J/cm~2的工作通量下,子脉冲时间间隔(14~22 ns)对激光增益的影响可以忽略不计。时分复用放大在保持总激光通量不变的前提下,降低了子脉冲的激光通量,降低了光学元件的损伤风险,保证了储能的有效提取。     

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.     

受激布里渊散射脉冲压缩技术研究进展

受激布里渊散射（SBS）作为三阶光学效应广泛应用于激光组束、分布式光纤传感、布里渊激光器等领域。近年来,SBS脉冲压缩亦得到特殊关注。基于布里渊放大过程中的能量转移特性,SBS脉冲压缩技术能够将ns量级脉冲压缩至亚ns量级,峰值功率可提升1～2个数量级。系统介绍了SBS脉冲压缩基本理论,综合论述了SBS压缩器结构、增益介质、泵浦脉冲等因素对脉冲压缩特性的影响,并对SBS脉冲压缩发展趋势进行了展望,为今后SBS特性的研究提供了有益参考,也为高重频、高能量激光的获取提供了可行方案。     

Dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser for optical generation of tunable low-noise radio frequency/microwave frequency

We demonstrate a new approach, i.e., a cw dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser pumped by two independent single-frequency Er-doped fiber lasers, for the generation of tunable low-noise rf/microwave optical signals. Its inherent features of both linewidth narrowing effect in a Brillouin fiber cavity and common mode noise cancellation between two laser modes sharing a common cavity allow us to achieve high frequency stability without using a supercavity. Beat frequency of the dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser can be tuned from tens of megahertz up to 100 GHz by thermally tuning the wavelengths of the two pump lasers with tuning sensitivity of approximately 1.4 GHz/ degrees C. Allan variance measurements show the beat signals have the hertz-level frequency stability.     

Stimulated Brillouin scattering in magnetized diffusive semiconductor plasmas

Using the hydrodynamical model and following the coupled mode approach, detailed analytical investigation of stimulated Brillouin scattering is performed in an electrostrictive semiconductor. The total induced current density including diffusion current density and the effective Brillouin susceptibility are obtained under off-resonant laser irradiation. The analysis deals with the qualitative behaviour of the Brillouin gain and transmitted intensity with respect to excess doping concentration and magnetic field. Efforts are directed towards optimizing the doping level and magnetic field to achieve maximum Brillouin gain at pump intensities far below the optical damage threshold level. It is found that by immersing a moderately doped semiconductor in a sufficiently strong magnetic field in transverse direction, one can achieve resonant enhancement of Brillouin gain provided the generated acoustic mode lies in the dispersionless regime.     

Analysis of ultrafast nonlinear phenomena��s influences on output optical pulses and four-wave mixing characteristics in semiconductor optical amplifiers

We have analysed the output pulse characteristics of semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). It is shown that they can be modified due to the variation of input parameters, such as, gain, input pulsewidth, input pulse energy and effects imposed by the medium. Therefore, the influence of these parameters are analysed on the output pulse shape, spectrum, chirp and pulsewidth. We have used the nonlinear propagation equation taking into account the gain spectrum dynamics, gain saturation which depends on carrier depletion, carrier heating, spectral hole-burning, group velocity dispersion, self-phase modulation and two photon absorption. We have used the finite-difference beam propagation method to simulate the wave evolution both in time and spectral domain in the SOA. We have also simulated the four-wave mixing characteristics between pulses for various input pulses. An accurate output pulse shape can be achieved by controlling the mentioned parameters. To the authors knowledge, pulse shaping in co-propagation regime due to medium effect and input pulse shapes in presence of all nonlinear effects relevant to picosecond regime have been studied comprehensively, for the first time in this work.     

Influence of gain saturation and carrier dynamic models on the modulation response of quantum well lasers

The main problem for creation of optical communication systems is how quickly the light intensity can be changed under radiation from a laser diode. The modulation capability of lasers with separate confinement heterostructure depends strongly on carrier transport and gain saturation phenomena. Nonlinear gain saturation model in connection with dynamic behavior at high-frequency modulation is discussed and peculiarities of application of a new dynamic model with partial differential equation for the carrier transport in SCH region are shown.     

Negative Refraction in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals with Tilted Interface

We investigate the wave propagation through the tilted interface of one-dimensional photonic crystals. Negative refraction can be realized by excitation of the Bloch states in the extended Brillouin zone with suppressed reflection. Equi-frequency surface analysis shows that the positive refraction, negative refraction or birefringence in this configuration can be achieved under a proper incident angle, which is confirmed by finite-difference timedomain simulations. The results may be useful in applications in the new devices based on one-dimensional photonic or optical waveguide arrays.     

Study of nonlinear propagation of chirped optical pulses in laser amplifying medium

In chirped pulse amplification, the amplification of an optical pulse in laser amplifying medium is a very important link. After considering dispersion, Kerr nonlinear effect, gain distribution and loss of the medium, the physical model that the optical pulse propagates in the medium has been established, which is suitable for the general situation where the optical pulse propagates in the amplifying medium. Using a split-step Fourier method, the propagation state of a chirped optical pulse in the amplifying medium has been numerically simulated, and the influences of the gain dispersion of the medium and the frequency detuning of the pulse on the optical pulse have been discussed emphatically. The results show that, with the amplification and propagation of the ultrashort chirped pulse in the amplifying medium, gain saturation and Kerr nonlinear effect of the medium will cause distortion of the optical pulse. For the optical pulse with a wideband spectrum, gain dispersion will cause the gain narrowing effect, so it is equivalent to a loss mechanism. The frequency detuning of the optical pulse will cause distortion of the pulse, which can be used to weaken the impact of gain saturation, thus reshaping the optical pulse.     

High-gain Brillouin amplification: an analytical approach

We derive a closed-form approximate analytical formula for the gain of a Brillouin fiber amplifier operating in the depleted pump regime. We take into account the material loss of the medium, which is a strong effect in optical fibers. We validate obtained results numerically and experimentally. The presented analysis can be used to accurately predict the performance of high-gain Brillouin fiber amplifiers.     

增益非线性对超短腔激光器速率方程的影响

用量子阱激光器增益与载流子浓度的对数关系（增益饱和效应）取代了体材料的线性关系，得到了适用于量子阱结构的速率方程。详细分析和计算了这一修正的影响。计算表明，对长腔（低损耗）器件线性关系是较好的近似；对短腔（高损耗）、线性关系则有较大的误差，必须考虑增益饱和的影响，否则将过高估算自发辐射因子的测量值，过高估计弛豫振荡频率和最大调制频率。这一结果对微腔激光器的研究具有重要的意义。     

均匀展宽增益介质中超光速饱和现象的研究

根据饱和增益理论分析可知,不同抽运光功率对应着介质不同的吸收和增益状态. 在吸收介质中,相干布居振荡效应导致光脉冲经历饱和吸收,光脉冲传输延迟;在增益介质中, 相干布居振荡效应导致光脉冲经历增益饱和,光脉冲传输超前. 本文由铒离子的亚稳态速率方程出发,建立了掺铒光纤中超光速传输的理论模型, 同时得到时间超前的数值解析表达式;讨论了低频率段超光速的饱和现象, 即超光速在低频段并不随着抽运光功率的增强而加强,而在高频率段随抽运光功率的增加而加强.