A universal all-fiber omnipolarizer

The all-optical control of light polarization is nowadays a fundamental issue which finds important applications in optical networks. In this field, the research has moved on the development of nonlinear methods of re-polarization of a partially coherent and initially depolarized light [1]. The main drawback of most of these devices is that they suffer from a large amount of output Relative-Intensity-Noise (RIN). However, a class of polarizers have been recently proposed which is based on the nonlinear interaction between two optical beams counter-propagating in a fiber [2]: in these devices the arbitrary state of polarization (SOP) of one of the two beams (signal) is attracted towards a sp…

Optical flip-flop memory and data packet switching operation based on polarization bistability in a telecommunication optical fiber

We report the experimental observation of bistability and hysteresis phenomena of the polarization signal in a telecommunication optical fiber. This process occurs in a counterpropagating configuration in which the optical beam nonlinearly interacts with its own Bragg-reflected replica at the fiber output. The proof of principle of optical flip–flop memory and 10  Gbit/s routing operation is also reported based on this polarization bistability. Finally, we also provide a general physical understanding of this behavior on the basis of a geometrical analysis of an effective model of the dynamics. Good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained.

Optical flip-flop memory and routing operation based on polarization bistability in optical fiber

A polarization bistability and hysteresis cycle phenomenon is demonstrated in optical fibers thanks to a counter-propagating four-wave mixing interaction. Based on this process, we successfully report the proof-of-principle of an optical flip-flop memory and a 10-Gbit/s routing operation.

Self-polarization of light in optical fibers

The second performs the first experimental demonstration of the polarization domain walls which cancel the effects which degrade the intensity and spectral profile of a telecom signal during propagation. This phenomenon comes from non-linear coupling between the two orthogonal polarization modes of light propagating in a Kerr medium in normal dispersion regime, and causes a modulation in phase opposition of the two modes along the fiber. It is possible to lock two optical pulse trains complementary intensity so that the pulses do not suffer the effects of distortion occurring in the fiber in order to maintain the information to be transmitted. And a distortion-free propagation was achieved …

Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in suspended-core Chalcogenide and Tellurite optical fibers

We report the experimental generation of mid-infrared supercontinuum in tellurite and chalcogenide suspended-core fibers pumped close to their zero-dispersion in femtosecond regime. The resulting supercontinua extend until 2.8µm in tellurite and 3.2µm in chalcogenide fibers.

Fast polarization scrambler based on chaotic dynamics in optical fibers

All-fiber based chaotic polarization scrambler

We present a fiber-based polarization scrambler founded on the nonlinear interaction between a signal and its backward replica generated and amplified by a reflective loop. The output polarization dynamic turns out to be chaotic.

Mid-infrared 2000-nm bandwidth supercontinuum generation in suspended-core microstructured Sulfide and Tellurite optical fibers

International audience; In this work, we report the experimental observation of supercontinua generation in two kinds of suspended-core microstructured soft-glass optical fibers. Low loss, highly nonlinear, tellurite and As2S3 chalcogenide fibers have been fabricated and pumped close to their zero-dispersion wavelength in the femtosecond regime by means of an optical parametric oscillator pumped by a Ti:Sapphire laser. When coupled into the fibers, the femtosecond pulses result in 2000-nm bandwidth supercontinua reaching the Mid-Infrared region and extending from 750 nm to 2.8 mu m in tellurite fibers and 1 mu m to 3.2 mu m in chalcogenide fibers, respectively.

Temporal spying and concealing process in fibre-optic data transmission systems through polarization bypass

Recent research has been focused on the ability to manipulate a light beam in such a way to hide, namely to cloak, an event over a finite time or localization in space. The main idea is to create a hole or a gap in the spatial or time domain so as to allow for an object or data to be kept hidden for a while and then to be restored. By enlarging the field of applications of this concept to telecommunications, researchers have recently reported the possibility to hide transmitted data in an optical fibre. Here we report the first experimental demonstration of perpetual temporal spying and blinding process of optical data in fibre-optic transmission line based on polarization bypass. We succes…

Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in suspended-core chalcogenide and tellurite optical fibers

Summary form only given. The generation of optical supercontinua in the mid-infrared region and especially their expansion beyond the intrinsic limit dictated by fused silica is currently a subject of high interest. Tellurite and chalcogenide glasses have serious advantages because of their wide transmittance window which can reach more than 10 μm while the Kerr nonlinearity can be 500 times stronger than fused silica. These different features make them serious candidates for broad mid-infrared supercontinuum generation. For example, supercontinuum as broad as 4000-nm bandwidth has been generated in a sub-cm long Tellurite microstructured fiber by Domachuk et al. in ref. [1] by means of a f…