Multiple four-wave mixing in optical fibers: 1.5–3.4-THz femtosecond pulse sources and real-time monitoring of a 20-GHz picosecond source

Julien Fatome (1) , Stéphane Pitois (2) , Coraline Fortier (2) , Bertrand Kibler (2) , Christophe Finot (2) , Guy Millot (2) , Clément Courde (3) , Michel Lintz (3) , Etienne Samain (4)

1 SLCO
2 ICB - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne
3 ARTEMIS - Astrophysique Relativiste Théories Expériences Métrologie Instrumentation Signaux
4 GEOAZUR 6526 - Géoazur

In this work, we report recent progress on the design of all-fibered ultra-high repetition-rate pulse sources for telecommunication applications around 1550 nm. The sources are based on the non-linear compression of an initial beat-signal through a multiple four-wave mixing process taking place into an optical fiber. We experimentally demonstrate real-time monitoring of a 20 GHz pulse source having an integrated phase noise 0.01 radian by phase locking the initial beat note against a reference RF oscillator. Based on this technique, we also experimentally demonstrate a well-separated high-quality 110 fs pulse source having a repetition rate of 2 THz. Finally, we show that with only 1.4 m of standard single mode fiber, we can achieve a twofold increase of the repetition rate, up to 3.4 THz, through the self-imaging Talbot effect. Experimental results are supported by numerical simulations based on the generalized non-linear Schrödinger equation.

Mots clés: Non-linear optics; Optical fiber; Pulse sources; Pulse compression; Four-wave mixing; Talbot effect; Optical telecommunication

Domaines: Optique [physics.optics]

Julien Fatome, Stéphane Pitois, Coraline Fortier, Bertrand Kibler, Christophe Finot, et al.. Multiple four-wave mixing in optical fibers: 1.5–3.4-THz femtosecond pulse sources and real-time monitoring of a 20-GHz picosecond source. Optics Communications, 2010, 283 (11), pp.2425-2429. ⟨10.1016/j.optcom.2010.01.057⟩. ⟨hal-00472243⟩