Open AccessPhase quadrature discrimination based on three-pump four-wave mixing in nonlinear optical fibers
Author(s) -
Maxime Baillot,
Christophe Peucheret,
Michel Joindot,
Thierry Chartier
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.24.026930
Subject(s) - four wave mixing , quadrature (astronomy) , optics , nonlinear system , mixing (physics) , physics , nonlinear optics , signal (programming language) , phase conjugation , cross polarized wave generation , optical fiber , wave propagation , computer science , laser , quantum mechanics , programming language
We theoretically and experimentally study the principle of phase-sensitive frequency conversion in a highly-nonlinear fiber using three pump waves. This mechanism, originally demonstrated with four continuous-wave pumps and a signal wave, is based on four-wave mixing and enables to convert the two quadrature components of the signal to different frequencies. In this work, we derive a set of two simple equations to describe this mechanism and find analytic solutions. We show that only three pumps are required, instead of four as originally proposed. We give simple relations to determine the initial conditions for the power levels and the phases of the pumps. To validate this approach, we perform an experimental demonstration of the three-pump scheme and find excellent agreement with the theory.