Ultrafast all-optical signal regenerator using pulse trapping in birefringent fibers

We demonstrated an all-optical signal control technique, novel to our knowledge, based on pulse trapping and amplification by ultrashort soliton pulse in a birefringent fiber to implement three functions: amplification, reshaping, and retiming. The signal and control pulses trap each other and copropagate in the fiber. The signal pulse experiences Raman gain and soliton effect by an ultrashort control pulse. The characteristics were investigated both experimentally and numerically. The maximum gain obtained was 28 dB in a 140m long fiber. The output waveforms were +/- 300 fs, chirp-free, sech(2)-shaped, ultrashort pulses. Delays and advances within +/- 0.4 ps in the initial signal were compensated for. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America