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We demonstrate that direct sequence optical code- division multiple-access (DS-OCDMA) encoders and decoders using sampled fiber Bragg gratings (S-FBGs) behave as multipath interferometers. In that case, chip pulses of the prime sequence codes generated by spreading in time-coherent data pulses can result from multiple reflections in the interferometers that can superimpose within a chip time duration. We show that the autocorrelation function has to be considered as the sum of complex amplitudes of the combined chip as the laser source coherence time is much greater than the integration time of the photodetector. To reduce the sensitivity of the DS-OCDMA system to the coherence time of the laser source, we analyze the use of sparse and nonperiodic quadratic congruence and extended quadratic congruence codes. OCIS codes: 060.2340, 0604510.

We measure the light backscattered by resonant optical cavities based on two types of hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers, namely, 7-cell and 19-cell fibers. The measurement of the intensity backscattered by the cavity at resonance permits to deduce the value of the fiber backscattering coefficient. We find backscattering coefficients of the order of 2.0\times 10^-6 and 1.0\times 10^-6\;\mathrmm^-1 for the 7-cell and 19-cell fibers, respectively, two orders of magnitude larger than the one for standard solid-core single-mode fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We analyze, both theoretically and experimentally, the phase noise of the radio frequency (RF) beatnote generated by optical mixing of two orthogonally polarized modes in an optically pumped dual-frequency vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). The characteristics of the RF phase noise within the frequency range of 10 kHz-50 MHz are investigated for three different nonlinear coupling strengths between the two lasing modes. In the theoretical model, we consider two different physical mechanisms responsible for the RF phase noise. In the low frequency domain (typically below 500 kHz), the dominant contribution to the RF phase noise is shown to come from the thermal fluctuations of the semiconductor active medium induced by pump intensity fluctuations. However, in the higher frequency domain (typically above 500 kHz), the main source of RF phase noise is shown to be the pump intensity fluctuations which are transferred to the intensity noises of the two lasing modes and then to the phase noise via the large Henry factor of the semiconductor gain medium. For this latter mechanism, the nonlinear coupling strength between the two lasing modes is shown to play an important role in the value of the RF phase noise. All experimental results are shown to be in good agreement with theory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We combine an erbium-doped fiber amplifier with a short segment of highly birefringent photonic crystal fiber to generate a nonlinear transfer function suitable for optical transmission systems based on optical code-division multiple-access (OCDMA). Such a functional element based on spectral broadening followed by an off-center narrow optical filtering provides an effective suppression of spurious signals such as multiple-access interferences in OCDMA receivers and can reduce the pulses amplitude jitter. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We report on far field energy distribution control using a coherent beam combining femtosecond digital laser employing 61 tiled channels. Each channel is considered as an individual pixel where amplitude and phase are controlled independently. Applying a phase difference between neighboring fibers or neighboring fiber-lines gives high agility for far field energy distribution and paves the way for deeper exploration of phase patterns as a tool to further improve tiled-aperture CBC laser efficiency and far field shaping on demand.

One of the most promising solutions to access high power laser chains is to achieve a coherent combination of a large number of elementary lasers. To interfere constructively, these laser sources should be identical and operate under the same conditions. However, despite these efforts, differential delays appear in the course of time, which must be compensated for. While designing the required correction system, knowing the behavior of a laser as a function of the environmental conditions is not crucial, whereas having access to the differences in the behaviors of identical lasers is, leading to difficulties in modeling. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how a large set of lasers can be simultaneously analyzed to estimate their variations and optimize a correction system. The X-Coherent Amplified Network laser relies on 61 fiber amplifiers, which are as identical as possible. This state of the art femtosecond digital laser therefore appears as an ideal candidate to study a large number of fiber lasers working under controlled conditions.

We report on the use of a 61 beamlets coherent beam combination femtosecond fiber amplifiers as a digital laser source to generate high-power orbital angular momentum beams. Such an approach opens the path for higher-order non-symmetrical user-defined far field distributions.

We report on the coherent beam combining of 61 femtosecond fiber chirped-pulse amplifiers in a tiled-aperture configuration along with an interferometric phase measurement technique. Relying on coherent beam recombination in the far field, this technique appears suitable for the combination of a large number of fiber amplifiers. The 61 output beams are stacked in a hexagonal arrangement and collimated through a high fill factor hexagonal micro-lens array. The residual phase error between two fibers is as low as λ/90 RMS, while a combining efficiency of ∼50% is achieved.

Coherent beam combining in tiled-aperture configuration is demonstrated on seven femtosecond fiber amplifiers using an interferometric phase measurement technique. The residual phase error between two fibers is as low as λ/55 RMS and a combination efficiency of 48% has been achieved. The combined pulses are compressed to 216 fs, delivering 71 W average power at a repetition rate of 55 MHz. Operating the laser system in a nonlinear regime with an estimated B-integral of 5 rad yields a combining efficiency of 45% with the same phase stability. These results pave the way to very large high-power and high energy coherent beam combining systems.

We experimentally investigate the evolution of the direct detection noise figure of a nondegenerate phase-sensitive amplifier based on a nonlinear fiber, as a function of the relative phase between the signal, idler, and pump, all other parameters remaining fixed. The use of a fiber with a high stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold permits us to investigate the full range of phase-sensitive gain and noise figure without pump dithering. Good agreement is found with theory, both for signal only and combined signal and idler direct detections.

An ultra-low intensity and beatnote phase noise dual-frequency vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser is built at telecom wavelength. The pump laser is realized by polarization combining two single-mode fibered laser diodes in a single-mode fiber, leading to a 100% in-phase correlation of the pump noises for the two modes. The relative intensity noise is lower than -140  dB/Hz, and the beatnote phase noise is suppressed by 30 dB, getting close to the spontaneous emission limit. The role of the imperfect cancellation of the thermal effect resulting from unbalanced pumping of the two modes in the residual phase noise is evidenced.

We present a thorough investigation aimed at the optimization of a phase-sensitive optical parametric amplifier capable of simultaneous phase and amplitude regeneration. The regeneration potential, quantified in terms of the phase-sensitive extinction ratio, has been carefully assessed by a scalar model involving high-order waves associated with high-order four-wave mixing processes, going beyond the usual three-wave approach. Additionally, this model permits to unveil the physics involved in the high-order waves assisted regeneration. This permits a multi-dimensional and comprehensive optimization that fully exploits the underlying regenerative capability and expedites the design of a transparent regenerator, showing the potential to act as basic building block in future all-optical processing. We also compare different strategies when such regenerators are configured in concatenation. The approach can be readily applied to virtually any similar applications for different all-optical processing functionalities.

Operation of a degenerate dual-pump phase sensitive amplifier (PSA) is thoroughly numerically investigated using a multi-wave model, taking into account high-order waves associated with undesired four-wave mixing (FWM) processes. More accurate phase-sensitive signal gain characteristics are obtained compared to the conventional 3-wave model, leading to precise optimization of the pump configuration in a degenerate dual-pump PSA. The signal gain for different pump configurations, as well as the phase sensitivity, is obtained and interpreted by investigating the dominant FWM processes in terms of the corresponding phase matching. Moreover, the relation between dispersion slope and the width of the signal gain curve versus the pump-pump wavelength separation is revealed, permitting the application-oriented arbitrary tailoring of the signal gains by manipulating the dispersion profile and pump wavelength allocation.

We demonstrate a single-polarization all-solid hybrid microstructured optical fiber with a UV-induced Bragg grating. A strong (∼20 dB) UV-induced Bragg grating was inscribed within the 30 nm-wide single-polarization window of the fiber, producing polarized Bragg reflection. The sharp band-edge cutoff allows a large polarization-extinction ratio of the Bragg reflection. The hybrid structure of the fiber enabled minimal UV exposure to the high-index regions and the location of the single-polarization window was maintained after the grating was inscribed.