Efficient All-Optical Wavelength-Conversion Scheme Based on a Saw-Tooth Pulse Shaper

Abstract

-We experimentally demonstrate the use of sawtooth optical pulses, generated using a superstructured fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG), to achieve high performance and efficient all-optical wavelength conversion in a scheme based on cross-phase modulation (XPM) in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF), with subsequent offset filtering. Compared to the use of more conventional waveforms, such as Gaussian pulses, the purpose-shaped saw-tooth pulses allow an improvement in the optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) of the wavelength converted signal of around 15dB as well as a more than 6dB improvement in receiver sensitivity.

Experimental observation of temporal dispersion gratings in fiber optics

“…Using a phase and intensity modulation provided by a modulator working at the point of null transmission enables to cancel the energy contained in the zero th -order temporal peak. Using other modulations schemes such as saw-tooth phase profiles induced through cross-phase modulation [21] one could improve the side lobes intensity and reproduce in the temporal domain the analog of blazed gratings. At a more fundamental level this work exemplifies once again the striking space-time duality existing between spatial diffraction and temporal dispersion.…”

Intermediate asymptotics in nonlinear optical systems

“…From a fundamental viewpoint, these results are interesting from the perspective of the physics of dissipative nonlinear systems. From a practical viewpoint, the simple intensity profile of triangular pulses is attractive for various photonic applications, including timedomain add-drop multiplexing, wavelength conversion [17], and doubling of optical pulses in the frequency and time domains [18]. …”

Two-wave interferences space-time duality: Young slits, Fresnel biprism and Billet bilens

“…The triangular phase can be generated either through RF waveform generators and phase modulators or photonic generators combined with cross-phase modulation experienced during propagation in a highly nonlinear fiber [34]. pulses can be obtained from the frequency filtering of a continuum spectrum generated in a normally dispersive fiber [37] or in microresonators [38].…”