COMB-LIKE DISPERSION-PROFILED FIBER FOR SOLITON PULSE-TRAIN GENERATION

A novel optical fiber [comblike dispersion-profiled fiber (CDPF)] that consists of a chain of alternating segments of standard telecommunication fiber and dispersion-shifted fiber is proposed for the generation of a soliton pulse train based on nonlinear transformation of an optical beat signal. A totally integrated all-optical fiber source of a 59.1-GHz train of 2.2-ps solitons is demonstrated with a CDPF. For a beat signal generator we use a dual-frequency erbium fiber laser incorporating fiber grating reflectors that provides 16-kHz linewidths and a low phase noise of optical beating (< 5 x 10(-5)). Significant suppression of stimulated Brillouin scattering, which is essential for this technique, is achieved in the CDPF.