Abstract

The dynamics of Modulation Instability (MI) can be well described by the truncated three wave mixing model [1]. The flow of power from the pump to the signal-idler pair (and harmonics) is recurrent [1,2], being inverted after the characteristic distance Z_c where the depletion is maximum. Such maximum depletion depends strongly on the frequency detuning of the signal. Surprisingly, the frequency f_MI of the maximum MI gain (nonlinear phase-matching) do not yield the most favourable conversion (strongest depletion) [1]. Vice versa the theory predicts that the depletion increases at lower frequency detunings reaching 100% for $f_d=f_{MI}/\sqrt{2}$. While this has been theoretically predicted a while ago, no experimental demonstration of this behavior has been reported yet. In this work, we experimentally report the first experimental observation of this fundamental phenomenon.

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