Abstract

Fiber-based solitons sources are of primary interest for nonlinear microscopy thanks to their ability to deliver ultrashort Fourier-transform limited solitons which are tunable over hundreds of nanometers thanks to the stimulated Raman scattering effect [1]. This wavelength tunability is obtained either by tuning the pump power (if possible) or by using topographic optical fibers with tailored longitudinal profiles [2]. In both cases however, there is no control of the soliton duration, which depends on input pulse parameters and fiber linear and nonlinear properties [2-3]. Here, we propose a method to control both the wavelength and duration of solitons experiencing a Raman-induced self-frequency shift using topographic photonic crystal fibers (PCFs), in which the dispersion and nonlinear parameters evolve longitudinally in a controlled way. This control is demonstrated experimentally using topographic PCFs designed with an inverse algorithm and fabricated directly at a draw tower.

© 2015 IEEE