Power evolution along phase-sensitive parametric amplifiers: an experimental survey.

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a method based on Brillouin optical time-domain analysis to measure the longitudinal signal power distribution along phase-sensitive fiber-optical parametric amplifiers (PS-FOPAs). Experimental results show that the amplification of a PS-FOPA could go through different longitudinal profiles and yet finish with the same overall gain. This behavior is in sheer contrast with theoretical expectations, according to which longitudinal gain distribution should follow certain profiles determined by the initial relative phase difference but can never end up in the same overall gain. The gap between theory and experiment only becomes evident when the pump wavelength is within the fluctuation range of the zero dispersion wavelength (ZDW) of the PS-FOPA.

Wideband generation of pulses in dual-pump optical parametric amplifier: theory and experiment.

The generation of pulses in dual-pump fiber optical parametric amplifier is investigated. Theoretically, it is shown that in an analogical manner to pulse generation in single-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers, the generated pulse shape depends on the linear phase mismatch between the interacting waves. However the dual-pump architecture allows for the bounding of the phase mismatch over a wide bandwidth. This feature permits the generation of uniform pulses over a wide bandwidth, contrary to the single-pump architecture. Using the developed theory, a pulse source with uniform pulses at 5 GHz repetition rate and duty cycle of 0.265 over 40 nm is demonstrated.

Optical sinc-shaped Nyquist pulses of exceptional quality.

Sinc-shaped Nyquist pulses possess a rectangular spectrum, enabling data to be encoded in a minimum spectral bandwidth and satisfying by essence the Nyquist criterion of zero inter-symbol interference (ISI). This property makes them very attractive for communication systems since data transmission rates can be maximized while the bandwidth usage is minimized. However, most of the pulse-shaping methods reported so far have remained rather complex and none has led to ideal sinc pulses. Here a method to produce sinc-shaped Nyquist pulses of very high quality is proposed based on the direct synthesis of a rectangular-shaped and phase-locked frequency comb. The method is highly flexible and can be easily integrated in communication systems, potentially offering a substantial increase in data transmission rates. Further, the high quality and wide tunability of the reported sinc-shaped pulses can also bring benefits to many other fields, such as microwave photonics, light storage and all-optical sampling.

Near-Nyquist optical pulse generation with fiber optical parametric amplification.

A novel method using optical fiber parametric amplification and phase modulation is proposed in order to generate Nyquist pulses. Using parabolic pulses as a pump, we show theoretically that it is possible to generate Nyquist pulses. Furthermore, we show that by using a sinusoidal pump (pump intensity modulated by an RF tone), it is possible to obtain pulses with characteristics that are close to Nyquist limited pulses. We demonstrate experimentally the generation of bandwidth limited pulses with full width half maximum of 14 ps at 10 GHz repetition rate. We also discuss limitations of this method and means to overcome these limitations.

Experimental investigation of pulse generation with one-pump fiber optical parametric amplification.

In a recent study, the theory of pulse generation with fiber optical parametric amplification using sinusoidal (clock) intensity modulated pump was revisited. This work showed that the pulses generated through such parametric interaction exhibit a shape which depends on the signal detuning with respect to the pump position (i.e. linear phase mismatch). A near Gaussian shape can only be achieved over a small region of the gain spectrum, close to the maximum gain location. Towards the extremities of the gain spectrum, the generated pulses take a near Sinc shape which can have many potential applications such as for all-optical Nyquist limited transmitters and/or receivers. In this paper we experimentally verify the theory at repetition rates up to 40 GHz. We also discuss the impact of noise, pump saturation and walk-off on the generated pulses.

Investigation of gain ripple in two-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers.

By using the four-sideband theory, we analyze the gain spectrum in wideband two-pump fiber optical parametric amplifiers and predict gain ripples over the flat gain region. We derive an approximation of their pseudo-periods and discuss methods for reducing their amplitudes.

Supercontinuum generation using continuous-wave multiwavelength pumping and dispersion management.

We experimentally demonstrate that continuous-wave supercontinuum generation in optical fibers can be significantly enhanced by using both multiwavelength pumping and dispersion management. We show by detailed spectral analysis that continuum enhancement is achieved mainly through a combination of Raman-assisted modulation instabilities, soliton compression, and dispersive wave generation. With this technique, an 800 nm wide (from 1.2 to 2.0 microm) 2 W supercontinuum source is reported that uses a three-wavelength pump and a dispersion-tailored four-optical fibers arrangement.