Patent ID: 8126299
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: G01N,G02B,G02F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for providing optical output pulses at a desired output wavelength of less than 1300 nm from an input optical signal operating at a first, shorter wavelength, the apparatus comprising: an input mode converter for receiving the input optical signal exhibiting a linear chirp of at least 5.25 fs/nm and converting a spatial mode of the input signal into a higher-order-mode (HOM) optical signal; and a section of higher-order-mode (HOM) fiber, coupled to an output of the input mode converter, for receiving the higher-order-mode optical signal and thereafter producing as an output a higher-order-mode optical signal at the desired output wavelength, wherein the section of HOM fiber is configured to exhibit a positive dispersion and large effective area sufficient to support the propagation of the higher-order-mode optical signal therealong and induce soliton self-frequency shifting (SSFS) to produce optical output pulses at the desired output wavelength, the positive dispersion also sufficient to perform dispersion compensation on the linear chirp of the input signal so as to reduce the presence of chirp in the optical output signal.