Abstract
A multiwavelength continuous-wave (cw) optical source is based on supercontinuum (sc) produced in a highly nonlinear fiber. Noise properties of this optical source are studied through numerical simulations based on the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. The numerical simulations show that the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) generation in an erbium-doped fiber amplifier and the ASE amplification during the sc generation result in a serious degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). A novel scheme for improvement of the SNR of the multiwavelength cw optical source based on sc by using a dispersion-imbalanced nonlinear optical loop mirror is presented and the numerical simulation results are given. As a result, the average level of the SNR improvement is 11 dB and the eye-opening penalty is reduced by 0.91 dB due to the SNR improvement. In addition, the scheme can also be applied for improvement of the SNR of a pulse-type multiwavelength light source.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
E. Yamada, H. Takara, T. Ohara, K. Sato, T. Morioka, K. Jinguji, M. Itoh, M. Ishii: Electron. Lett. 37, 304 (2001)
J. Kim, Ö. Boyraz, M.N. Islam: in Proc. Optical Fiber Communication Conf. (OFC 2000) Paper ThA2, pp. 5–7
K. Imai, M. Kourogi, M. Ohtsu: IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-34, 54 (1998)
M. Teshima, K. Sato, M. Koga: IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-34, 1588 (1998)
M. Nakazawa, K. Tamura, H. Kubota, E. Yoshida: Opt. Fiber Technol. 4, 215 (1998)
Ö. Boyraz, M.N. Islam: J. Lightwave Technol. 20, 1493 (2002)
H. Sanjoh, K. Tsuzuki, Y. Yushikuni: IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 757 (2003)
M. Meissner, M. Rösch, B. Schmauss, G. Leuchs: IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 1297 (2003)
G.P. Agrawal: Nonlinear Fiber Optics, 2nd edn. (Academic, New York 1995)
Ö. Boyraz, J. Kim, M.N. Islam, F. Coppinger, B. Jalali: J. Lightwave Technol. 18, 2167 (2000)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
PACS
42.50.Lc; 42.65.Re; 42.79.Sz; 02.60.Cb
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nan, Y., Lou, C., Wang, J. et al. Signal-to-noise ratio improvement of a supercontinuum continuous-wave optical source using a dispersion-imbalanced nonlinear optical loop mirror. Appl. Phys. B 79, 61–64 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-004-1491-9
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-004-1491-9