Patent ID: 9188835
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: G01N,G02B,G02F,H01S

Abstract:
1. An optical source comprising: an optical output arranged to output an output optical signal; a pump optical source arranged to generate an optical signal at a pump wavelength; an optical splitter arranged to receive the optical signal and to split the optical signal into a pump signal and a seed pump signal; a seed signal forming apparatus arranged to receive the seed pump signal at the pump wavelength and to transform the seed pump signal into a seed signal at a seed wavelength; and a first microstructured optical fibre arranged to receive the pump signal and the seed signal, the first microstructured optical fibre being arranged to cause the pump signal to undergo four-wave mixing seeded by the seed signal on transmission through the first microstructured optical fibre such that a first optical signal at a signal wavelength and second optical signal at an idler wavelength are generated, one of the signal wavelength and the idler wavelength being the seed wavelength and one of the first and second optical signals being provided to the optical output to form the output optical signal.