Generation of optical frequency combs in fibres: an optical pulse analysis

Marina Zajnulina, Michael Böhm, Keith Blow, José M. Chavez Boggio, Andres A. Rieznik, Roger Haynes, Martin M. Roth

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference outputConference publication

Abstract

The innovation of optical frequency combs (OFCs) generated in passive mode-locked lasers has provided astronomy with unprecedented accuracy for wavelength calibration in high-resolution spectroscopy in research areas such as the discovery of exoplanets or the measurement of fundamental constants. The unique properties of OCFs, namely a highly dense spectrum of uniformly spaced emission lines of nearly equal intensity over the nominal wavelength range, is not only beneficial for high-resolution spectroscopy. Also in the low- to medium-resolution domain, the OFCs hold the promise to revolutionise the calibration techniques. Here, we present a novel method for generation of OFCs. As opposed to the mode-locked laser-based approach that can be complex, costly, and difficult to stabilise, we propose an all optical fibre-based system that is simple, compact, stable, and low-cost. Our system consists of three optical fibres where the first one is a conventional single-mode fibre, the second one is an erbium-doped fibre and the third one is a highly nonlinear low-dispersion fibre. The system is pumped by two equally intense continuous-wave (CW) lasers. To be able to control the quality and the bandwidth of the OFCs, it is crucial to understand how optical solitons arise out of the initial modulated CW field in the first fibre. Here, we numerically investigate the pulse evolution in the first fibre using the technique of the solitons radiation beat analysis. Having applied this technique, we realised that formation of higherorder solitons is supported in the low-energy region, whereas, in the high-energy region, Kuznetsov-Ma solitons appear.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvances in optical and mechanical technologies for telescopes and instrumentation
EditorsRamón Navarro, Colin R. Cunningham, Allison A. Barto
Place of PublicationBellingham, WA (US)
PublisherSPIE
Number of pages7
ISBN (Print)978-0-8194-9619-5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014
EventAdvances in optical and mechanical technologies for telescopes and instrumentation - Montréal, Canada
Duration: 23 Jun 201427 Jun 2014

Publication series

NameSPIE proceedings
PublisherSPIE
Volume9151
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Conference

ConferenceAdvances in optical and mechanical technologies for telescopes and instrumentation
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityMontréal
Period23/06/1427/06/14

Bibliographical note

Marina Zajnulina ; Michael Böhm ; Keith Blow ; José M. Chavez Boggio ; Andres A. Rieznik ; Roger Haynes and Martin M. Roth. "Generation of optical frequency combs in fibres: an optical pulse analysis", Proc. SPIE 9151, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation, 91514V (July 18, 2014).

Copyright 2014 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic reproduction and distribution, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper are prohibited.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1117/12.2055554

Keywords

  • four-wave mixing
  • higher-order solitons
  • Kuznetsov-Ma solitons
  • nonlinear Schrödinger equation
  • optical frequency combs
  • soliton radiation beat analysis
  • solitons in fibres
  • spectrograph calibration

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