Nonlinear polarizers based on four-wave mixing in high-birefringence optical fibers

Parametric amplification or four-wave mixing in high-birefringence optical fibers may be exploited to implement a novel type of nonlinear polarizer. Such a device leads to the simultaneous amplification, frequency conversion, and repolarization of both signal and idler waves along one of the principal birefringence axes of the fiber, independently of the pump, signal, and idler input state of polarization, power, and frequency detuning. We discuss the conditions for the observation of polarization attraction in fiber optics parametric amplifiers operating with a pump in either the normal or the anomalous dispersion regime

Complex dispersion relation of a double chain of lossy metal nanoparticles

International audienceWe study the propagation characteristics of optical signals in waveguides composed of a double chain of metallic nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric host. We find that the complex Bloch band diagram for the guided modes, derived by the Mie scattering theory including material losses, exhibits strong differences with respect to the previously studied single chain. The results of the model are validated through finite element solution of Maxwell's equations

Intermodal Four-Wave-Mixing and Parametric Amplification in km-long Fibers

We theoretically and numerically investigate intermodal four-wave-mixing in km-long fibers, where random birefringence fluctuations are present along the fiber length. We identify several distinct regimes that depend on the relative magnitude between the length scale of the random fluctuations and the beat-lengths of the interacting quasi-degenerate modes. In addition, we analyze the impact of polarization mode-dispersion and we demonstrate that random variations of the core radius, which are typically encountered during the drawing stage of the fiber, can represent the major source of bandwidth impairment. These results set a boundary on the limits of validity of the classical Manakov model and may be useful for the design of multimode parametric amplifiers and wavelength converters, as well as for the analysis of nonlinear impairments in long-haul spatial division multiplexed transmission

Self-Repolarization process in dual-Omnipolarizers

We report on an extension of the concept of nonlinear self-repolarization process by means of two different architectures based on dual-Omnipolarizers. More specifically, we compare the performance in terms of polarization attraction capabilities provided by two novel arrangements: The first configuration relies on two cascaded Omnipolarizers, whilst the second architecture integrates an additional device directly into the feedback loop. Our study reveals that for a constant power budget, the cascading of two subsequent Omnipolarizers enables to improve the efficiency of the attraction process, yielding an output Degree-of-Polarization close to unity, but at the cost of twofold equipments

Light propagation in nonuniform plasmonic subwavelength waveguide arrays

International audienceWe study light propagation in nanoscale periodic structures composed of dielectric and metal in the visible range. We demonstrate that diffraction curves of nonuniform waveguide arrays can be tailored by varying the geometric and dielectric features of the waveguides. The results obtained from a proper formulation of Coupled Mode Theory for non uniform arrays are validated through numerical solution of Maxwell equations in frequency domain

Fast and Chaotic Fiber-Based Nonlinear Polarization Scrambler

International audienceWe report a simple and efficient all-optical polarization scrambler based on the nonlinear interaction in an optical fiber between a signal beam and its backward replica which is generated and amplified by a reflective loop. When the amplification factor exceeds a certain threshold, the system exhibits a chaotic regime in which the evolution of the output polarization state of the signal becomes temporally chaotic and scrambled all over the surface of the Poincaré sphere. We numerically derive some design rules for the scrambling performances of our device which are well confirmed by the experimental results. The polarization scrambler has been successfully tested on a 10-Gbit/s On/Off Keying Telecom signal, reaching scrambling speeds up to 500-krad/s, as well as in a wavelength division multiplexing configuration. A different configuration based on a following cascade of polarization scramblers is also discussed numerically, which leads to an increase of the scrambling performances

Mode attraction, rejection and control in nonlinear multimode optics

Novel fundamental notions helping in the interpretation of the complex dynamics of nonlinear systems are essential to our understanding and ability to exploit them. In this work we predict and demonstrate experimentally a fundamental property of Kerr-nonlinear media, which we name mode rejection and takes place when two intense counter-propagating beams interact in a multimode waveguide. In stark contrast to mode attraction phenomena, mode rejection leads to the selective suppression of a spatial mode in the forward beam, which is controlled via the counter-propagating backward beam. Starting from this observation we generalise the ideas of attraction and rejection in nonlinear multimode systems of arbitrary dimension, which paves the way towards a more general idea of all-optical mode control. These ideas represent universal tools to explore novel dynamics and applications in a variety of optical and non-optical nonlinear systems. Coherent beam combination in polarization-maintaining multicore fibres is demonstrated as example

Near to short wave infrared light generation through AlGaAs-on-insulator nanoantennas

AlGaAs-on-insulator (AlGaAs-OI) has recently emerged as a novel promising platform for nonlinear optics at the nanoscale. Among the most remarkable outcomes, second harmonic generation (SHG) in the visible/near infrared spectral region has been demonstrated in AlGaAs-OI nanoantennas (NA). In order to extend the nonlinear frequency generation towards the short wave infrared window, in this work we propose and demonstrate via numerical simulations difference frequency generation (DFG) in AlGaAs-OI NAs. The NA geometry is finely adjusted in order to obtain simultaneous optical resonances at the pump, signal and idler wavelengths, which results in an efficient DFG with conversion efficiencies up to 0.01%. Our investigation includes the study of the robustness against random variations of the NA geometry that may occur at fabrication stage. Overall, these outcomes identify a new potential and yet unexplored application of AlGaAs-OI NAs as compact devices for the generation and control of the radiation pattern in the near to short infrared spectral region

Nonlinear Polarization Manipulation in Optical Fibers

We describe the self-organization of light state-of-polarization in optical fiber based on a nonlinear cross-polarization interaction between an input signal and its backward replica. Several proof-of-principles for telecom applications are reported

All-optical regeneration of polarization of a 40-Gbit/s return-to-zero telecommunication signal

10We report all-optical regeneration of the state of polarization of a 40 Gbit∕s return-to-zero telecommunication signal. The device discussed here consists of a 6.2-km-long nonzero dispersion-shifted fiber, with low polarization mode dispersion, pumped from the output end by a backward propagating wave coming from either an external continuous source or a reflection of the signal. An initially scrambled signal acquires a degree of polarization close to 100% toward the polarization generator output. All-optical regeneration is confirmed by means of polarization and bit-error-rate measurements as well as real-time observation of the eye diagrams. We show that the physical mechanism underlying the observed four-wave-mixing-based polarization attraction phenomenon can be described in terms of the geometric approach developed for the study of Hamiltonian singularities.openopenJ. Fatome; D. Sugny; S. Pitois; P. Morin; M. Guasoni; A. Picozzi; H. R. Jauslin; C. Finot; G. Millot; S. WabnitzJ., Fatome; D., Sugny; S., Pitois; P., Morin; Guasoni, Massimiliano; A., Picozzi; H. R., Jauslin; C., Finot; G., Millot; Wabnitz, Stefa