Characteristics of Wavelength Tunable Femtosecond Soliton Pulse Generation Using Femtosecond Pump Laser and Polarization Maintaining Fiber

We have investigated both experimentally and numerically the characteristics of wavelength tunable femtosecond soliton pulse generation using a pulse width variable fiber laser and two different types of polarization maintaining fibers. The generated soliton shows the feature of the pulsewidth becoming almost constant at - 250 fs under any conditions of the pump pulse for 220m fiber. High conversion efficiency from pump pulse to a generated soliton pulse accounting for as much as 73% can be obtained. This efficiency decreases with increase in the input power or wavelength shift. A superior conversion efficiency and broad wavelength shift can be obtained by using a more shortened pump pulse. In the numerical calculations, it is predicted that under a condition of constant power of pump pulse, the maximum wavelength shift is achieved when the soliton number N is -1.4. The difference of mode field diameter and the group velocity dispersion (GVD) coefficient β₂ affect the wavelength shift and conversion efficiency. Using the fiber with small mode field diameter and small absolute value of GVD coefficient β₂, a high conversion efficiency and large wavelength shift can be obtained.     

Tunable Supercontinuum Generated in a Yb~(3+)-Doped Microstructure Fiber Pumped by Ti:Sapphire Femtosecond Laser

We experimentally demonstrate that a tunable supercontinuum(SC) can be generated in a Yb3+-doped microstructure fiber by the concept of wavelength conversion with a Ti:sapphire femtosecond(fs) laser as the pump.Experimental results show that an emission light around 1040 nm in an anomalous dispersion region is first generated and amplified by fs pulses in the normal dispersion region. Then, SC spectra from 1100 to 1380 nm and 630 to 840 nm can be achieved by combined effects of higher-order soliton fission and Raman soliton self-frequency shift in the anomalous dispersion region and self-phase modulation, dispersive wave, and four-wave mixing in the normal dispersion region. It is also demonstrated that the 20 nm change of pump results in a 280 nm broadband shift of soliton and the further red-shift of soliton is limited by OH-absorption at 1380 nm.     

Modal Birefringence Dependent Supercontinuum Due to Cross-Phase Modulation in a Dispersion-Flattened/Decreasing Fiber

It was found by numerical analysis that a 320 nm wide and flat spectrum at 20 dB less than the central maximum intensity is generated from cross-phase modulated soliton pulses with 3.5 ps pulse width and 2.3 W peak power, which are propagated through a 2.4km length of dispersion-flattened/decreasing fiber (DFDF). The cross-phase modulation (XPM) at a central wavelength of 1.55 μm is achieved by exciting two orthogonally polarized modes into the principal axes. The wave-vector mismatch between the orthogonal pulses can be neglected because of soliton trapping when the modal birefringence of the DFDF is less than |n_ox - n_0y| = 10⁻⁶. The effect of modal birefringence on supercontinuum generation is discussed in temporal and spectral regimes by numerical analysis.     

Highly efficient wavelength-tunable anti-Stokes signal conversion by phase-matched four-wave mixing in the second-order mode of photonic crystal fiber

Using the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with zero dispersion wavelengths of the fundamental mode and the second-order mode at 985 nm and 885 nm designed and fabricated in our lab, the anti-Stokes signals from 586.5 to 558 nm are efficiently generated in the second-order mode. When the pump working wavelength λ ₀ increases from 830 to 880 nm and the input average power P _in reduces from 43 to 25 mW, the output power of anti-Stokes signal increases 1.76 times, the power ratio of anti-Stokes signal at 558 nm to the residual pump component at 880 nm is estimated as 5:1, and the maximal conversion efficiency P _as/P _p0 can be up to 36%. The possible reasons for the difference from theoretical results are discussed. The combined effects of the interval between the pump working wavelength and zero dispersion wavelength and the input power on the signal conversion process are analyzed.     

Broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy using soliton pulse trains from a photonic crystal fiber

Pulse trains of fundamental soliton pulses with different center wavelengths and delay times from a photonic crystal fiber were generated and used as Stokes optical pulses in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy. The pulse trains were created by shaping optical pulses with a pulse shaper and their waveforms were measured by a cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating method. By the use of pulse trains, the time required for obtaining broadband CARS signals was reduced to be about one third compared with our previous study without using pulse trains. With this setup, broadband CARS signals between 500 and 3100 cm⁻¹ of a single polystyrene bead sample have been measured and the most of the Raman peaks in this frequency range of samples have been observed clearly.     

Anti-Stokes Frequency Shift and Evolution in Polarization-Maintaining Photonic Crystal Fiber with Two-Zero Dispersion Wavelengths

Using the tunable pump pulses with about lOO fs pulse duration and 1064 nm central wavelength; the polarization-, wavelength- and power-dependent anti-Stokes lines are generated and modulated simultaneously in a polarization-maintaining photonie crystal fiber （PM-PCF） with two zero-dispersion wavelengths. By accurately controlling the polarization directions, the wavelength and the power of the pump pulse in the fiber anomalous region close to the second zero-dispersion wavelength of the PM-PCF, the output anti-Stokes pulse spectra can be tuned between 563 nm and 603 nm, which is in good agreement with the theoretical simulation. The color conversion of the mode image from yellow to orange is also observed with the different polarization pump pulses. These results can be attributed to the combined interaction between the fiber birefringence （including linear- and nonlinear- birefringence） and dispersion, and are attributed to phase-matching parametric four-wave mixing.     

光纤中基于拉曼放大与脉冲压缩的超短光孤子产生

提出一种在单模光纤负群速色散枢由弱脉冲产生高强度超短光孤子的新方法。     

An efficient method for supercontinuum generation in dispersion-tailored Lead-silicate fiber taper

In this paper we theoretically study the broadband mid-IR supercontinuum generation (SCG) in a lead-silicate microstructured fiber (the glass for simulation is SF57). The total dispersion of the fiber can be tailored by changing the core diameter of the fiber so that dispersion profiles with two zero dispersion wavelengths (ZDWs) can be obtained. Numerical simulations of the SCG process in a 4 cm long SF57 fiber/fiber taper seeded by femto-second pulses at telecommunications wavelength of 1.55 µm are presented. The results show that a fiber taper features a continuous shift of the longer zero dispersion wavelength. This extends the generated continuum to a longer wavelength region compared to fibers with fixed ZDWs. The phase-matching condition (PMC) is continuously modified in the fiber taper and the bandwidth of the generated dispersive waves (DWs) is significantly broadened.     

Generation of femtosecond anti-stokes pulses through phase-matched parametric four-wave mixing in a photonic crystal fiber

Phase-matched parametric four-wave mixing in higher-order guided modes of a photonic crystal fiber is shown to result in an efficient decay of 40-fs 800-nm Ti:sapphire laser pump pulses into an anti-Stokes signal with a central wavelength around 590-600 nm and a Stokes signal centered at 1.25 microm. The photonic crystal fiber is designed in such a way as to minimize the group-velocity dispersion at the pump wavelength, phase match the parametric four-wave-mixing process, and reduce the group delay between the pump and the anti-Stokes pulses. The duration of the anti-Stokes pulse under these conditions, as shown by cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating measurements, is less than 200 fs.     

Generation of a mid-infrared broadband polarized supercontinuum in As2Se3 photonic crystal fibers

A simplified structure of birefringent chalcogenide As 2 Se 3 photonic crystal fiber（PCF） is designed.Properties of birefringence,polarization extinction ratio,chromatic dispersion,nonlinear coefficient,and transmission are studied by using the multipole method,the finite-difference beam propagation method,and the adaptive split-step Fourier method.Considering that the zero dispersion wavelength of our proposed fiber is about 4 μm,we have analysed the mechanism of spectral broadening in PCFs with different pitches in detail,with femtosecond pulses at a wavelength of 4 μm as the pump pulses.Especially,mid-infrared broadband polarized supercontinuums are obtained in a 3-cm PCF with an optimal pitch of 2 μm.Their spectral width at 20 dB reaches up to 12 μm.In the birefringent PCF,we find that the supercontinuum generation changes with the pump alignment angle.Research results show that no coupling between eigenpolarization modes are observed at the maximum average power（i.e.,37 mW）,which indicates that the polarization state is well maintained.     

Spectrally and temporally isolated Raman soliton features in microstructure fibers visualized by cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating

We study soliton phenomena accompanying the propagation of femtosecond Cr: forsterite-laser pulses through a microstructure fiber in the regime of efficient anti-Stokes frequency conversion. The dispersion of the fiber is designed in such a way as to minimize the group delay of the 1.25-m pump and the Stokes pulse within the length of soliton pulse compression in the regime of anomalous dispersion. Spectrally and temporally isolated solitonic features, resulting from soliton self-frequency shift, are detected at the output of such a microstructure fiber by means of cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating. PACS 42.65.Wi; 42.81.Qb     

强双折射光纤中超短光脉冲压缩效应研究

研究了强双折射光纤中沿偏振主轴入射的超短光脉冲压缩效应。当考虑三阶色散效应时，三阶色散与光纤非线相互作用能增强一偏振光脉冲的压缩而抑制另一偏振光脉冲的压缩。正三阶和的强慢孤子压缩，负三阶色散增强快孤子压缩，三阶色散参量越大，脉冲压缩效果越明显。     

光纤零色散波长的精确测量

提出了一种测量单模光纤零色散波长的新方法,即让可调谐的连续波（波长λｓ）和波长λｐ位于光纤正常色散区的泵浦脉冲串在光纤中共同传输,交叉相位调制与群速度色散的相互作用可使得连续波的强度得到调制。对连续波λｓ进行调谐,若连续波被调制成亮脉冲,则表明λｓ位于光纤负色散区;若连续波被调制成暗脉冲,则表明λｓ位于光纤正色散区;若连续波的强度不能被调制,则表明λｓ位于光纤的零色散波长λ０附近。利用这一方法对长度为０．９８ｋｍ的色散位移光纤的零色散波长进行了测量,测量精度可达０．５ｎｍ。     

Efficient and wavelength-tunable anti-Stokes frequency conversion with good beam quality in the fundamental mode of photonic crystal fiber

Using the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with the zero dispersion wavelength of 848 nm for the fundamental mode, the efficient anti-Stokes signal generations from 645 to 543 nm are realized by pumping in the normal dispersion region. When the pump average power increases from 200 to 500 mW, the output power of the anti-Stokes signal increases 8.46 times, the power ratio of the anti-Stokes signal at 543 nm to the residual pump is calculated as 22.6:1, and the conversion efficiency η in the experiment can be up to 46%. Moreover, good optical beam quality of the anti-Stokes signal can be achieved.     

Dispersion-Compensating Graded Index Multiclad Fiber: Optimization for Dispersion-Managed WDM Transmission Systems

This work reports the design optimization of a single-mode graded index multiclad dispersion-compensating fiber (DCF) with a central dip, for broadband wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) system in the C- and L-bands of an operating wavelength zone. The index profile parameters of this fiber have been adjusted to simultaneously achieve high figure of merit (FOM) as well as considerably high value of effective core areas of the fiber to minimize the nonlinear effects like self-phase modulation or cross-phase modulation. At 1,550 nm operating wavelength, an effective core area (A_eff) of 46 μm², which is very large compared to other reported values of DCFs, is obtained here. The average dispersion of the DCFs, in combination with conventional single-mode fiber (CSF) and small dispersion fiber (SDF), are found out to be considerably flat in the entire C- and L-band zone of operating wavelength.     

Nonlinear copropagation of two optical pulses of different frequencies in photonic crystal fibers

A theoretical investigation of the nonlinear copropagation of two optical pulses of different frequencies in a photonic crystal fiber is presented. Different phenomena are observed depending on whether the wavelength of the signal pulse is located in the normal or the anomalous dispersion region. In particular, it is found that the phenomenon of pulse trapping occurs when the signal wavelength is located in the normal dispersion region while the pump wavelength is located in the anomalous dispersion region. The signal pulse suffers cross-phase modulation by the Raman shifted soliton pulse and it is trapped and copropagates with the Raman soliton pulse along the fiber. As the input peak power of the pump pulse is increased, the red-shift of the Raman soliton is considerably enhanced with the simultaneous further blue-shift of the trapped pulse to satisfy the condition of group velocity matching. PACS 42.65.Tg; 42.81.Dp     

Widely tunable femtosecond fiber optical parametric oscillator

The phase-matching condition in a fiber is discussed. A balance among the different orders of fiber dispersion can be found to achieve a widely tuning modulation instability gain for pumping around the normal dispersion regime. Three coupled nonlinear wave equations are used to simulate the femtosecond fiber optical parametric oscillator. The numerical results show that, through appropriate choice of dispersion, femtosecond pulses with a 180-nm tunable range can be generated when pump wavelength near a fiber’s zero-dispersion wavelength is tuned only 7 nm. Further tuning is limited by the walk-off between the pump and the signal pulses.     

光子晶体光纤非线性光谱特性的理论与实验研究

光子晶体光纤具有特殊的导光机制和结构可调性,可以产生奇异的色散特性及高非线性,为非线性光纤光学领域的研究提供了新的条件。受多种非线性光学效应的共同作用,在不同泵浦光脉冲参数条件下,不同结构参数及传输特性的光子晶体光纤能产生丰富的非线性光谱。利用分步傅里叶方法求解非线性薛定谔方程,模拟飞秒激光脉冲在光子晶体光纤中的传输过程,获得输出光谱与入射光脉冲参数(泵浦光峰值功率P、泵浦光波长λ、光脉冲形状、光脉冲宽度T_FWHM)、光纤结构参数(孔间距Λ、空气填充比d/Λ、光纤长度z)、传输特性(色散、非线性系数)的关系,分析拉曼孤子、色散波、自相位调制等非线性效应产生的光谱特性。利用光子晶体光纤包层节区进行非线性光学实验研究,获得了孤子波和色散波的宽带光谱输出。理论分析与实验测量的光谱中都包括了波长0.5 μm附近可见光波段的蓝移色散波、0.82 μm波段的剩余泵浦光、1.1 μm波段的孤子波、2 μm附近的红移宽带色散波。理论分析与实验测量结果一致,阐明光子晶体光纤中非线性光谱产生的物理原理,实现了对宽带光谱的可控输出,为高非线性光子晶体光纤的结构设计、制备及非线性光谱的应用研究奠定基础。     

Performance improvement by positioning DCF non-symmetrically in a periodic amplified re-circulating loop for long-haul optical soliton transmission link

In this paper, we have carried out simulative performance analysis by positioning the DCF non-symmetrically in a periodic amplified re-circulating loop for optical soliton transmission link over a long haul. The investigations indicate that relatively stable pulses can propagate in a mid-compensated optical soliton transmission over a long-haul dispersion-managed soliton regime in a fiber link with loss and periodic amplification by keeping the average dispersion small but non-zero. Here non-zero anomalous fiber dispersion equal to 6 ps/nm is maintained by inserting DCF in the beginning, middle and end of the fiber loop. Here it is demonstrated that solitons can propagate even when β₂ varies along the fiber length up to transmission distance of 18,000 km.     

Two-photon absorption-induced effects in femtosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman-scattering microspectroscopy of silicon photonic components

We study the effects related to two-photon absorption (TPA) in the microspectroscopy of the silicon photonic components based on coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) of femtosecond pulses. With 300-fs pulses of 1.24-μm Cr:forsterite laser radiation delivering pump and probe fields and a frequency-shifted soliton output of a large-mode area photonic-crystal fiber employed as a Stokes field, pronounced TPA effects have been observed in the CARS microspectroscopy of silicon components for pump-pulse intensities exceeding 10 GW/cm².