Ultrafast non-linear optics for telecommunication applications

Abstract

The aim of the research done for this thesis was to characterise the properties of a fibre laser producing ultrashort pulses at the telecommunication wavelength of 1550nm. We also measured the nonlinear optical properties of molecules designed for all optical switching. In order to understand the effects underlying the production and propagation of ultrashort laser pulses in fibre optics, the linear and nonlinear optical properties of material are described in the conditions relevant to single mode step index silica fibre. The nonlinear Schrodinger equation is derived and its solutions of interest are introduced. Depending on the condition of dispersion, the instability of the continuous solution leads to the formation of pulses and the stability of the pulsed solution leads to the formation of optical solitons.