13 - Low-nonlinearity optical fibers and their applications

Abstract

Power scaling in optical fiber-based systems, such as laser and telecommunications systems, is often limited by optical nonlinearities. This stems from the very same advantages that set optical fibers apart from bulk materials, namely their nature as thin, flexible strands that enable light propagation over long distances. Whether causing intensity or phase noises, changes to a signal spectrum, or reflecting light back toward a system input, there is great interest in suppressing these deleterious effects. In this chapter, low-nonlinearity optical fibers and their applications are discussed within the contexts of Brillouin scattering, Raman scattering, Kerr nonlinearities, and thermo-optic effects. First, materials where the light–matter interactions are weak are reviewed. Next, waveguide approaches to frustrating the nonlinear interactions are surveyed. Finally, a few examples are presented to illustrate the design process where nonlinear power thresholds become important considerations. The continued development of low-nonlinearity fibers is crucial to the continued power scaling of fiber lasers and fiber-based optical systems.