Harnessing the modulation instability spectrum in optical fibers with a periodic dispersion landscape

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how a periodic dispersion landscape in optical fibers can be used to control modulation instability spectra, combining experimental, analytical, and numerical approaches.

Contribution

It introduces a simple analytical model explaining the modulation instability process in periodically modulated fibers, validated by experiments and simulations.

Findings

Successful experimental demonstration of dispersion-assisted modulation instability

Analytical model explains the quasi phase-matching mechanism

Ability to tailor the modulation instability spectrum shape

Abstract

We report the experimental demonstration of modulation instability process assisted by a dispersion grating in an optical fiber. A simple analytical model is developed to further analyze and explain the complex dynamics of this process, showing that each of the multiple spectral components grows thanks to a quasi phase-matching mechanism inherent to the periodicity of the waveguide parameters. This model is confirmed by numerical simulations and it is successfully used to tailor the multi-peak modulation instability spectrum shape. These theoretical predictions are confirmed by experiments.