Abstract

We analyze propagation in a nonlinear, birefringent optical fiber with twist. The results show that the polarization evolution is periodic, and they are applied to the analysis of a Sagnac interferometer. The period is calculated by using perturbation theory, and we find a condition for it to be independent of the initial polarization state. We derive a simplified set of equations to describe the nonlinear evolution of the phase. We give a useful way to visualize the behavior of the nonlinear optical loop mirror (as a function of birefringence, twist, length, and input polarization) in terms of the Poincaré sphere.

© 2001 Optical Society of America

Experimental investigation of the nonlinear optical loop mirror with twisted fiber and birefringence bias

B. Ibarra-Escamilla, E. A. Kuzin, P. Zaca-Morán, R. Grajales-Coutiño, F. Mendez-Martinez, O. Pottiez, R. Rojas-Laguna, and J. W. Haus
Opt. Express 13(26) 10760-10767 (2005)

Fiber laser mode locked by a Sagnac interferometer with nonlinear polarization rotation

E. A. Kuzin, B. Ibarra Escamilla, D. E. Garcia-Gomez, and J. W. Haus
Opt. Lett. 26(20) 1559-1561 (2001)

Polarization-insensitive nonlinear optical loop mirror demultiplexer with twisted fiber

Y. Liang, J. W. Lou, J. K. Andersen, J. C. Stocker, O. Boyraz, M. N. Islam, and D. A. Nolan
Opt. Lett. 24(11) 726-728 (1999)

Cascadability and functionality of all-optical low-birefringent nonlinear optical loop mirror: experimental demonstration

K. H. Ahn, X. D. Cao, Y. Liang, B. C. Barnett, S. Chaikamnerd, and M. N. Islam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 14(5) 1228-1236 (1997)

Nonlinear-optical loop mirror demultiplexer using a random birefringence fiber: comparisons between simulations and experiments

Mark F. Arend, Michael L. Dennis, Irl N. Duling, Ekaterina A. Golovchenko, Alexei N. Pilipetskii, and Curtis R. Menyuk
Opt. Lett. 22(12) 886-888 (1997)