Nonlinear processes in multi-mode optical fibers

Nonlinear processes in optical fibers can affect data transmission and power carried by optical fibers and can limit the bandwidth and the capacity of optical communications. On the other hand nonlinear phenomena could be utilized to build in-fiber all-optical light sources and amplifiers. In this thesis new peaks inside an optical fiber have been generated using nonlinear processes. An intense green pump laser has been launched into a short fiber and specific modes have been excited to generate two new peaks in red and blue wavelengths, where two pump photons are annihilated to create two new photons in red and blue. The generated peaks are shifted far from pump; therefore they are less polluted by pump and Raman induced noises. The phase matching condition and the photon-flux rate for spontaneous and stimulated FWM have been studied both theoretically and experimentally for a commercial grade SMF-28 fiber. In low power and spontaneous regime new peaks are generated from quantum vacuum noise. Using the same pump laser for a long fiber, up to 21 new peaks spanning from green to Infrared have been generated. These peaks are equally spaced by 13THz. Generation of a Raman cascade spanning the wavelength range of 523 to 1750 nm wavelength range, in a standard telecommunication graded-index multimode optical fiber has been reported. Despite the highly multimode nature of the pump, the Raman peaks are generated in specific modes of the fiber, confirming substantial beam cleanup during the stimulated Raman scattering process.