A universal optical all-fiber omnipolarizer

Wherever the polarization properties of a light beam are of concern, polarizers and polarizing beamsplitters (PBS) are indispensable devices in linear-, nonlinear- and quantum-optical schemes. By the very nature of their operation principle, transformation of incoming unpolarized or partially polarized beams through these devices introduces large intensity variations in the fully polarized outcoming beam(s). Such intensity fluctuations are often detrimental, particularly when light is post-processed by nonlinear crystals or other polarization-sensitive optic elements. Here we demonstrate the unexpected capability of light to self-organize its own state-of-polarization, upon propagation in optical fibers, into universal and environmentally robust states, namely right and left circular polarizations. We experimentally validate a novel polarizing device - the Omnipolarizer, which is understood as a nonlinear dual-mode polarizing optical element capable of operating in two modes - as a digital PBS and as an ideal polarizer. Switching between the two modes of operation requires changing beam's intensity.

[1]  Moshe Tur,et al.  Vector analysis of stimulated Brillouin scattering amplification in standard single-mode fibers. , 2008, Optics express.

[2]  P Morin,et al.  All-optical nonlinear processing of both polarization state and intensity profile for 40 Gbit/s regeneration applications. , 2011, Optics express.

[3]  Mario Martinelli,et al.  Evidence of Raman-induced polarization pulling. , 2009, Optics express.

[4]  Mircea Mujat,et al.  Polarimetric and spectral changes in random electromagnetic fields. , 2003, Optics letters.

[5]  H. Prakash,et al.  Change in coherence properties and degree of polarization of light propagating in a lossless isotropic nonlinear Kerr medium , 2008 .

[6]  L. Brilland,et al.  Microstructured chalcogenide optical fibers from As(2)S(3) glass: towards new IR broadband sources. , 2010, Optics express.

[7]  J. Fatome,et al.  Observation of light-by-light polarization control and stabilization in optical fibre for telecommunication applications. , 2010, Optics express.

[8]  W. Firth,et al.  Spontaneous hexagon formation in a nonlinear optical medium with feedback mirror. , 1991, Physical review letters.

[9]  Victor V. Kozlov,et al.  Theory of lossless polarization attraction in telecommunication fibers , 2011 .

[10]  A. Picozzi.  Spontaneous polarization induced by natural thermalization of incoherent light. , 2008, Optics express.

[11]  Richard Cushman,et al.  Global Aspects of Classical Integrable Systems , 2004 .

[12]  M. Martinelli,et al.  Polarization Stabilization in Optical Communications Systems , 2006, Journal of Lightwave Technology.

[13]  Moshe Tur,et al.  All-Optical Polarization Control Through Brillouin Amplification , 2008, OFC/NFOEC 2008 - 2008 Conference on Optical Fiber Communication/National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference.

[14]  Svirko,et al.  Propagation of partially polarized light. , 1994, Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

[15]  Armando N Pinto,et al.  Broadband polarization pulling using Raman amplification. , 2011, Optics express.

[16]  Stefan Wabnitz,et al.  Theory of fiber optic Raman polarizers. , 2010, Optics letters.

[17]  Francesca Parmigiani,et al.  Dispersion controlled highly nonlinear fibers for all-optical processing at telecoms wavelengths , 2010 .

[18]  D. Sugny,et al.  Role of singular tori in the dynamics of spatiotemporal nonlinear wave systems. , 2009, Physical review letters.

[19]  M. Schmidt,et al.  Supercontinuum generation in chalcogenide-silica step-index fibers. , 2011, Optics express.

[20]  J E Heebner,et al.  Conversion of unpolarized light to polarized light with greater than 50% efficiency by photorefractive two-beam coupling. , 2000, Optics letters.

[21]  Antonio Picozzi,et al.  Hamiltonian tools for the analysis of optical polarization control , 2012 .

[22]  Polarized Brillouin Amplification in Randomly Birefringent and Unidirectionally Spun Fibers , 2008, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[23]  Daniel F. V. James,et al.  Change of polarization of light beams on propagation in free space , 1994 .

[24]  B. Koch,et al.  Record 59-krad/s Polarization Tracking in 112-Gb/s 640-km PDM-RZ-DQPSK Transmission , 2010, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[25]  M Cronin-Golomb,et al.  Over 4000 nm bandwidth of mid-IR supercontinuum generation in sub-centimeter segments of highly nonlinear tellurite PCFs. , 2008, Optics express.

[26]  Victor V. Kozlov,et al.  Nonlinear repolarization dynamics in optical fibers: transient polarization attraction , 2011 .

[27]  G. Millot,et al.  Polarization and modal attractors in conservative counterpropagating four-wave interaction , 2005 .

[28]  K. Turitsyn,et al.  Nonlinear repolarization in optical fibers: polarization attraction with copropagating beams. , 2011, Optics letters.

[29]  Moshe Tur,et al.  Dual-pump push-pull polarization control using stimulated Brillouin scattering. , 2011, Optics express.

[30]  M Santagiustina,et al.  Raman Nonlinear Polarization Pulling in the Pump Depleted Regime in Randomly Birefringent Fibers , 2011, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[31]  Takenobu Suzuki,et al.  Fabrication and characterization of a chalcogenide-tellurite composite microstructure fiber with high nonlinearity. , 2009, Optics express.

[32]  Steve Madden,et al.  Supercontinuum generation in dispersion engineered highly nonlinear (gamma = 10 /W/m) As2S3) chalcogenide planar waveguide. , 2008, Optics express.

[33]  J. Adam,et al.  Chalcogenide step index and microstructured single mode fibers , 2011 .

[34]  Condensation of classical nonlinear waves. , 2005, Physical review letters.

[35]  C Amra,et al.  Enpolarization of light by scattering media. , 2011, Optics express.

[36]  D. Sugny,et al.  Complete nonlinear polarization control in an optical fiber system. , 2010, Optics letters.