Widely Wavelength-tunable Soliton Generation and Few-cycle Pulse Compression with the Use of Dispersion-decreasing Fiber (original) (raw)

We have developed an all-fiber source of both, widely wavelength tunable femtosecond solitons and few-cycle optical pulses. It is based on Raman self-frequency shift of soliton pulse in dispersion-decreasing fibers (DDF) and subsequent spectrum broadening due to supercontinuum generation in a short highly nonlinear fiber and its further compression in a fiber compressor. High-quality sech-shaped 50 fs solitons with the wavelength tunable in the range of 1.6-2.1 µm were obtained at the output of dispersion-decreasing fiber. The solitons were used as a pump for the generation of smooth and tunable supercontinuum, which was then compressed down to 24 fs duration corresponding to 4 optical cycles at the central wavelength of 1.8-1.9 µm.