Optical Darboux Transformer

The Optical Darboux Transformer is introduced as a photonic device which performs the Darboux transformation directly in the optical domain. This enables two major advances for signal processing based on the nonlinear Fourier transform: (i) the multiplexing of different solitonic waveforms corresponding to arbitrary number of discrete eigenvalues of the Zakharov-Shabat system in the optical domain, and (ii) the selective filtering of an arbitrary number of individual solitons too. The Optical Darboux Transformer can be built using existing commercially available photonic technology components and constitutes a universal tool for signal processing, optical communications, optical rogue waves generation, and waveform shaping and control in the nonlinear Fourier domain

All-optical pulse bursts generation from a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror

A novel method for the generation of bursts of optical pulses is proposed. It is shown analytically that a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror in single pass configuration can transform a low power input pulse into a burst consisting of pulses with individual energy up to tens of nJ. The burst features; number of pulses; and their peak power, energy, and duration can be tuned and controlled. Numerical simulations show robustness of the technique to presence of Raman scattering and that sub-picosecond pulse duration can be achieved. The latter highlights the relevance of the proposed pulse bursts generator for material processing and in medical applications involving optical ablation

Collective dynamics of evanescently coupled excitable lasers with saturable absorber

We present a numerical study of the collective dynamics in a population of coupled excitable lasers with saturable absorber. At variance with previous studies where real-valued (lossy) coupling was considered, we focus here on the purely imaginary coupling (evanescent wave coupling). We show that evanescently coupled excitable lasers exhibit synchronization like the lossy coupled ones. Furthermore, we show that out-of-diagonal disorder-induced localization of excitability takes place for imaginary coupling too, but it can be frustrated by nonvanishing linewidth enhancement factor. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Array-enhanced synchronization and coherence resonance in coupled excitable semiconductor lasers

Summary form only given. We present a numerical study of the nonlinear dynamics of a population of coupled semiconductor lasers with saturable absorber operating in the excitable regime [1] and described by a set of coupled Yamada models [2]. In particular we have investigated the self-organized synchronization process taking place spontaneously among the lasers, showing significant correlations between the spike-like pulses emitted by different lasers. Our findings demonstrate that synchronization in time and also in intensity occurs in a large region of the parameter space and for different population sizes and furthermore it is robust with respect to random distribution of the lasers' pump parameter which is linked to the excitability threshol

Raman polarizer based on a fiber with a random birefringence

Summary form only given. Raman polarizers are devices able to amplify and simultaneously repolarize optical signals, exploiting the polarization attraction phenomenon induced by the Raman gain anisotropy [1, 2]. To characterize the degree of polarization (DOP) of the signal as a function of the Raman gain (G) in the case of the co-propagating pump and signal pulses, the following formula for ideal Raman polarizer has been recently derived [1]: DOP = 1 - G-1.Detailed experimental study demonstrated the limited validity of this formula in the context of the missed DOP dependence on polarization mode dispersion (PMD) parameter Dp and the random birefringence correlation length Lc [3,4]. Here for the first time we develop a new model of a Raman polarizer that matches the experimental data by accounting for a fiber random birefringence properties in terms of parameters Dp and Lc. Based on our previous model of a fiber Raman amplifier [3,4] utilizing rigorous technique of averaging over the random birefringence of fiber in the case of negligible pump depletion, we derive the following equations for DOP as function of G, Dp and Lc

Amplification through losses in nonlinear fiber optics

We present the most recent results about a novel modulation instability of a continuous light wave in a normal dispersion nonlinear optical fiber, induced by spectrally asymmetric losses for signal and idler waves. The presence of such spectrally asymmetric losses profile causes energy transfer from the pump to both signal and idler. A variety of applications concerning both amplification of signals and generation of pulses is discussed

Optical Darboux Transformer

The optical Darboux transformer for solitons is introduced as a photonic device that performs the Darboux transformation directly in the optical domain. This enables two major advances for optical signal processing based on the nonlinear Fourier transform: (i) the multiplexing of solitonic waveforms corresponding to different discrete eigenvalues of the Zakharov-Shabat system, and (ii) the selective filtering of an arbitrary number of individual solitons too. The optical Darboux transformer can be built using existing commercially available photonic technology components and constitutes a universal tool for signal processing, optical communications, optical rogue waves generation, and waveform shaping and control in the nonlinear Fourier domain

High repetition rate multi-similariton laser

We present the numerical demonstration of an harmonically mode-locked multi-similariton laser supporting a low jitter, stable train of self similar high repetition rate pulses exploiting, as mode-locking mechanism, the principle of dissipative Faraday instability (DFI) induced by zigzag modulation of spectral losses [1, 2]. At variance with the theoretical and experimental studies on the DFI [1, 2], where the amplification was distributed along the fiber, we propose here a lumped amplification scheme suitable for a more flexible design of mode-locked lasers pumped by rare-earth gain medium (Erbium, Ytterbium). We have considered an unidirectional all normal dispersion ring resonator with two lumped amplifying sections separated by two passive nonlinear dispersive fibers. Just before each amplifying section is located a spectral filter. The two filters differ by having the transmittance profile respectively blue- and red-detuned relatively to the amplifiers central frequency. The detuned spectral filters provide the necessary periodic zigzag modulation of the spectral losses needed to trigger the DFI. The CW operation of the laser is unstable and the growth of spectral sidebands results in a temporal modulation of the field temporal profile leading to the formation of a pulse train with repetition rate corresponding to the instability frequency around 0.1 THz and pulse duration of about 3 ps. Propagation in the fibers has been modeled using the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation and the lumped amplification by a saturable gain term with spectral bandwidth typical of rare-earth amplifiers

Requirement of initial long-range substrate structure in unusual CO pre-oxidation on Pt(111) electrodes

The activation pathway of CO electro-oxidation at low potentials is frequently favored on a catalyst with surface defects. Here, we report a discovery in which an initial long-range substrate structure is required for the activation of an unusual CO pre-oxidation reaction pathway on Pt(111) surfaces which have been flame annealed and then cooled in a CO atmosphere. Different to current understanding about the oxidation of CO on Pt, the activation of this reaction pathway is inhibited as the (111) planes become defect-rich.M.J.S.F and A.A.T. thanks the CAPES (Brazil) Finance Code 001. J.M.F. thanks the MINECO (Spain) CTQ2013-44083-P project

Theory of modulation instability in Kerr Fabry-Perot resonators beyond the mean field limit

We analyse the nonlinear dynamics of Fabry-Perot cavities of arbitrary finesse filled by a dispersive Kerr medium, pumped by a continuous wave laser or a synchronous train of flat-top pulses. The combined action of feedback, group velocity dispersion and Kerr nonlinearity leads to temporal instability with respect to perturbations at specified frequencies. We characterise the generation of new spectral bands by deriving the exact dispersion relation and we find approximate analytical expressions for the instabilities threshold and gain spectrum of modulation instability (MI). We show that, in contrast to ring-resonators, both the stationary solutions and the gain spectrum are dramatically affected by the duration of the pump pulse. We derive the extended Lugiato-Lefever equation for the Fabry-Perot resonator (FP-LLE) starting from coupled nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations (rather than Maxwell-Bloch equations) and we compare the outcome of the stability analysis of the two models. While FP-LLE gives overall good results, we show regimes that are not captured by the mean-field limit, namely the period-two modulation instability, which may appear in highly detuned or nonlinear regimes. We report numerical simulations of the generation of MI-induced Kerr combs by solving FP-LLE and the coupled Schr\"odinger equations