Classic, all-fiber, and similaritonic techniques of spectral compression

Abstract

A comparative experimental study of five techniques of spectral compression based on the self-phase modulation and phase addition processes, similariton generation and soliton effect is reported. In view of all-fiber configuration, the hollow-core fiber was used in experiments along with the standard single-mode one. The nonlinear process of spectral self-compression, a spectral analogue of soliton effect compression, in a hollow core fiber with anomalous dispersion is observed experimentally. To reveal the nature and origin of aberrations of spectro-temporal lenses induced by the phase modulation and phase addition process, the experiments are conjugated with numerical studies. An up to 23x aberration free spectral focusing in the time lens induced by similariton through sum-frequency generation is demonstrated experimentally.