Light Source Apparatus for Stable Supercontinuum Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional broadband light sources generating supercontinuum (SC) light suffer from significant wavelength spectrum fluctuations and intensity variations due to unstable output pulse characteristics from pulsed light sources and dispersion-decreasing fibers, leading to increased timing jitters and errors in high-speed signal transmissions.
Innovation Solution
A light source apparatus combining a short-pulsed light source with a broadband light producing fiber, where the pulsed light source has excellent output pulse characteristics and the fiber has optimal optical characteristics for stable broadband light generation, with a controller for regulating pulse characteristics and a coupling fiber to minimize losses and fluctuations, ensuring a wavelength spectrum flatness of 6 dB or less over 100 nm or more.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional pulsed light sources and dispersion-decreasing fibers are used to generate supercontinuum light, then broadband light generation is achieved, but wavelength spectrum fluctuations and intensity variations occur due to unstable output pulse characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dispersion parameter profile from conventional decreasing dispersion to a specific dispersion profile where the dispersion value at the output end is within -50 ps/nm/km to 50 ps/nm/km. This parameter optimization stabilizes the nonlinear optical process, reducing wavelength spectrum fluctuations while maintaining broadband generation. The controlled dispersion profile compensates for pulse characteristic variations, ensuring stable supercontinuum output.
2Illumination intensity
If short-pulsed light sources with high peak power are used to generate supercontinuum light, then broadband output is achieved, but timing jitters increase affecting high-speed signal transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the dispersion parameter range to -50 ps/nm/km to 50 ps/nm/km at the fiber output end, which stabilizes the group velocity and reduces timing jitter. This controlled dispersion profile maintains synchronous propagation conditions, reducing timing variations while preserving the broadband generation capability of short-pulsed light sources.
3Illumination intensity
If dispersion-decreasing fiber is used for supercontinuum generation, then broadband light is produced, but power fluctuations occur leading to transmission errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the dispersion parameter specification from a decreasing profile to a controlled range of -50 ps/nm/km to 50 ps/nm/km at the output. This parameter control stabilizes the nonlinear optical conversion efficiency, reducing power fluctuations in the supercontinuum output while maintaining broadband generation. The optimized dispersion profile ensures more uniform energy distribution across the broadband spectrum.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus provides stable broadband pulsed light with improved wavelength spectrum flatness and reduced power fluctuations, enhancing high-speed signal transmission stability and minimizing errors by suppressing power fluctuations to 6 dB or less over a wide wavelength band.
Implementation Method 1
a broadband light producing fiber for inputting pulsed light from the pulsed light source and producing broadband pulsed light by utilizing a nonlinear optical phenomenon
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a light source apparatus having a structure for stably supplying broadband pulsed light having a wavelength spectrum with an excellent flatness over a wide band. The light source apparatus employs, as a seed light source, a short-pulsed light source having such an excellent output pulse characteristic that the frequency bandwidth extending until the output pulse drops by 10 dB or 20 dB from a peak is 5 THz or more. The light source apparatus also includes a broadband light producing fiber having an optical characteristic suitable for combining with the short-pulsed light source. The broadband light producing fiber inputs pulsed light from the pulsed light source, and produces the broadband pulsed light by utilizing a nonlinear optical phenomenon. This structure yields broadband pulsed light having such a wavelength spectrum that a region whose power fluctuation is suppressed to 6 dB or less extends over 100 nm or more.