Open AccessAll-optical intensity fluctuation magnification using Kerr effect
Author(s) -
Benoit Vanus,
Curtis L. Baker,
Liang Chen,
Xiaoyi Bao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.384004
Subject(s) - optics , magnification , physics , intensity (physics) , sideband , modulation (music) , light intensity , phase modulation , kerr effect , intensity modulation , phase (matter) , self phase modulation , photodetector , nonlinear system , nonlinear optics , phase noise , laser , quantum mechanics , microwave , acoustics
We present a new all-optical method for the magnification of small-intensity fluctuations using the nonlinear Kerr effect. A fluctuation of interest is impressed onto a sinusoidally modulated optical signals (SMOS) and spectral sidebands are generated as the SMOS experiences self-phase modulation in a nonlinear medium. Magnification of these temporal variation is obtained by filtering one of the sidebands. For small fluctuations, the amount of magnification obtained is proportional to (2m + 1), with m being the sideband order. This technique enhances fiber-based point sensor capabilities by bringing signals originally too small to be detected into the detection range of photodetectors.