Single-shot observation of breathers from noise-induced modulation instability using heterodyne temporal imaging

Abstract

We report phase and amplitude measurements of large coherent structures originating from the noise-induced modulation instability in optical fibers. By using a specifically designed time-lens system (SEAHORSE) in which aberrations are compensated, the complex field is recorded in single-shot over long durations of 200 ps with sub-picosecond resolution. Signatures of Akhmediev breather-like patterns are identified in the ultrafast temporal dynamics in very good agreement with numerical predictions based on the nonlinear Schrödinger equation.

Spatiotemporal observation of higher-order modulation instability in a recirculating fiber loop

“…Until relatively recently, MI has been the subject of numerous experimental observations in fiber based systems mainly limited to measurements of averaged quantities such as conventional optical spectra or autocorrelation traces for instance due to the intrinsic rapid timescale associated to the process [2,10]. In the last 10 years though, the development of single-shot detection systems and distributed measurement methods based in particular on dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT), time-lens systems and time-domain reflectometry has attracted particular interest and enabled, among other things, the precise characterisation of MI-driven ultrafast dynamics [11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. In the past few years, the recirculating optical fiber loop configuration (historically developed to study long-haul transmissions of solitonic pulses [18,19]) has also proven to be a powerful experimental platform to observe and investigate complex spatio-temporal dynamics induced by MI [20][21][22].…”

Spatio-temporal observation of higher-order modulation instability in a recirculating fiber loop

“…Until relatively recently, MI has been the subject of numerous experimental observations in fiber based systems mainly limited to measurements of averaged quantities such as conventional optical spectra or autocorrelation traces for instance due to the intrinsic rapid timescale associated to the process [2,6,11]. In the last 10 years though, the development of single-shot detection systems and distributed measurement methods based in particular on dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT), time-lens systems and time-domain reflectometry has attracted particular interest and enabled, among other things, the precise characterisation of MI-driven ultrafast dynamics [12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. In the past few years, recirculating optical fiber loops have also proven to be a powerful experimental platform to observe and investigate complex spatio-temporal dynamics induced by MI [19][20][21].…”