Fundamental Noise Limitations to Supercontinuum Generation in Microstructure Fiber

Abstract

Broadband noise on supercontinuum spectra generated in microstructure fiber is shown to lead to amplitude fluctuations as large as 50% for certain input laser pulse parameters.We study this noise using both experimental measurements and numerical simulations with a generalized stochastic nonlinear Schrödinger equation, finding good quantitative agreement over a range of input pulse energies and chirp values. This noise is shown to arise from nonlinear amplification of two quantum noise inputs: the input pulse shot noise and the spontaneous Raman scattering down the fiber. * Work of an agency of the U.S. government; not subject to copyright.

Coherent dual-comb spectroscopy at high signal-to-noise ratio

“…Moreover, to realize the full potential of this approach, one would like these spectra to extend well beyond the gain region of available laser sources and into the mid-infrared, long wave-infrared and THz regions [1,21]. There have certainly been advances in all these areas, but much more source development is needed to support dual comb spectroscopy, particularly in view of the usual tradeoffs faced between expanding the spectral coverage and retaining high levels of phase coherence and low relative intensity noise [63][64][65].…”

Spontaneous Nonlinear Scattering Processes in Silica Optical Fibers

“…This role can be positive as in remote optical sensing (Alahbabi et al, 2005a;b;Dakin et al, 1985;Farahani & Gogolla, 1999;Wait et al, 1997). It can also be detrimental as in fiber optics telecommunication, where spontaneous nonlinear scattering processes contribute to decrease the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or in supercontinuum generation, where it limits the coherence and stability of the supercontinuum (Corwin et al, 2003;Dudley et al, 2006). In the emerging field of quantum photonics, fiber optical photon-pair sources are intrinsically based on the physics of the FPS Brainis, 2009;Brainis et al, 2005), while at the same time RS is the main factor that limits the SNR Dyer et al, 2008;Fan & Migdall, 2007;Lee et al, 2006;Li et al, 2004;Lin et al, 2006;Rarity et al, 2005;Takesue, 2006).…”

Optical Coherence Tomography Based on a Continuous-wave Supercontinuum Seeded by Erbium-doped Fiber's Amplified Spontaneous Emission

“…When high-peak-power pulses propagate through a highly nonlinear optical fiber, their optical spectrum is broadened due to a variety of nonlinear effects, and the spectrum is finally converted into an SC. In generating an SC from ultrashort pulses, the use of normally dispersive nonlinear fibers is essential to suppressing significant spectral modulation and amplitude fluctuations, which are caused by the nonlinear amplification of input pulse noise [7]. The pulse-mode SC has been widely investigated as a broadband source for high-resolution OCT imaging [8,9].…”