Method of Short Pulse Wavelength Tuning via Timed Soliton-Dispersive Wave Interaction

When a soliton and a dispersive pulse propagate in an optical fiber, they can interact via cross-phase modulation, which occurs when one pulse modulates the refractive index experienced by the other pulse. Cross-phase modulation causes each pulse to shift in wavelength by an amount proportional to the time delay between the pulses. Changing the time delay between the pulses changes the wavelength shift of each pulse. This make it possible to produce pulses whose output wavelengths can be tuned over large ranges, e.g. hundreds of nm, in a time as short as the pulse repetition period of the laser (e.g., at rates of megahertz or gigahertz). Such a laser requires no moving parts, providing high reliability. The laser's optical path can be made entirely of optical fiber, providing high efficiency with low size, weight, and power consumption.