Characterization and modeling of microstructured chalcogenide fibers for efficient mid-infrared wavelength conversion.

We experimentally demonstrate wavelength conversion in the 2 µm region by four-wave mixing in an AsSe and a GeAsSe chalcogenide photonic crystal fibers. A maximum conversion efficiency of -25.4 dB is measured for 112 mW of coupled continuous wave pump in a 27 cm long fiber. We estimate the dispersion parameters and the nonlinear refractive indexes of the chalcogenide PCFs, establishing a good agreement with the values expected from simulations. The different fiber geometries and glass compositions are compared in terms of performance, showing that GeAsSe is a more suited candidate for nonlinear optics at 2 µm. Building from the fitted parameters we then propose a new tapered GeAsSe PCF geometry to tailor the waveguide dispersion and lower the zero dispersion wavelength (ZDW) closer to the 2 µm pump wavelength. Numerical simulations shows that the new design allows both an increased conversion efficiency and bandwidth, and the generation of idler waves further in the mid-IR regions, by tuning the pump wavelength in the vicinity of the fiber ZDW.

Kerr nonlinearity and dispersion characterization of core-pumped thulium-doped fiber at 2 µm.

A nonlinear coefficient of 3.6-4.1 W-1 km-1 and group velocity dispersion of -20 ps2/km of a commercial core-pumped thulium-doped fiber have been evaluated using degenerate four-wave mixing at 2 µm. The anomalous dispersion behavior of the fiber has been confirmed by linear measurements with an all-fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI). Additionally, no pump-induced dispersion changes due to excitation of Tm3+ cations have been detected. These characteristics make these fibers attractive for pulsed fiber laser applications. A nonlinear-polarization rotation mode-locked laser involving nonlinear polarization evolution directly in the doped fiber is demonstrated.

Broadly tunable source around 2050 nm based on wideband parametric conversion and thulium-holmium amplification cascade.

We report the design of a short-wave infrared continuous-wave light source featuring a 20 mW average output power, and with a wavelength that can be freely selected in the 2000-2100 nm range amid a low power ripple. The operating principle relies on the simultaneous broadband parametric conversion of two seeds in a highly nonlinear silica fiber pumped in the L-band followed by amplification and equalization in an appended thulium- and holmium- doped fiber cascade directly pumped by their respective previous stage.

High-power parametric conversion from near-infrared to short-wave infrared.

We report the design of an all-fiber continuous wave Short-Wave Infrared source capable to output up to 700 mW of power at 1940 nm. The source is tunable over wavelength intervals comprised between 1850 nm and 2070 nm depending on its configuration. The output can be single or multimode while the optical signal to noise ratio ranges from 25 and 40 dB. The architecture is based on the integrated association of a fiber optical parametric amplifier and a Thulium doped fiber amplifier.

Large second harmonic generation enhancement in Si3N4 waveguides by all-optically induced quasi-phase-matching.

Efficient second harmonic generation in integrated platforms is usually achieved by resonant structures, intermodal phase-matching or quasi-phase matching by periodically poling ferroelectric waveguides. However, in all these structures, it is impossible to reconfigure the phase-matching condition in an all-optical way. Here, we demonstrate that a Watt-level laser causes a periodic modification of the second-order susceptibility in a silicon nitride waveguide, allowing for quasi-phase-matching between the pump and second harmonic modes for arbitrary wavelengths inside the erbium band. The grating is long-term inscribed, and leads to a second harmonic generation enhancement of more than 30 dB. We estimate a χ (2) on the order of 0.3 pm/V, with a maximum conversion efficiency of 0.05% W-1. We explain the observed phenomenon with the coherent photogalvanic effect model, which correctly agrees with the retrieved experimental parameters.