title: Self-similar propagation and amplification of parabolic pulses in optical fibers.
abstract: Ultrashort pulse propagation in high gain optical fiber amplifiers with normal dispersion is studied by self-similarity analysis of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with gain. An exact asymptotic solution is found, corresponding to a linearly chirped parabolic pulse which propagates self-similarly subject to simple scaling rules. The solution has been confirmed by numerical simulations and experiments studying propagation in a Yb-doped fiber amplifier. Additional experiments show that the pulses remain parabolic after propagation through standard single mode fiber with normal dispersion.
authors.affiliation: IMRA America, 1044 Woodridge Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, USA.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Fermann
authors.forename: V I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Kruglov
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Dudley
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Harvey