Experimental signature of optical wave thermalization through supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fiber.
We report an experimental, numerical and theoretical study of the incoherent regime of supercontinuum generation in a two zero-dispersion wavelengths fiber. By using a simple experimental setup, we show that the phenomenon of spectral broadening inherent to supercontinuum generation can be described as a thermalization process, which is characterized by an irreversible evolution of the optical field towards a thermal equilibrium state. In particular, the thermodynamic equilibrium spectrum predicted by the kinetic wave theory is characterized by a double peak structure, which has been found in quantitative agreement with the numerical simulations without adjustable parameters. We also confirm that stimulated Raman scattering leads to the generation of an incoherent structure in the normal dispersion regime which is reminiscent of a spectral incoherent soliton.
Barviau
Benoît
B
Institut Carnot de Bourgogne, UMR 5029 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne, Dijon, France.
Kibler
Bertrand
B
Kudlinski
Alexandre
A
Mussot
Arnaud
A
Millot
Guy
G
Picozzi
Antonio
A
D003198:Computer Simulation; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D017785:Photons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013696:Temperature