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Title: Stochastic simulation of pulses in nonlinear-optical fibers with random birefringence

Journal Article · · Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics; (United States)
 [1];  [2]
  1. Computer Research Group (C-3), Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS B258, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
  2. Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States)

Numerical simulations of nonlinear pulse propagation in optical fibers with randomly varying birefringence are presented. For short-length-scale randomness the dominant effect is due to phase-velocity birefringence and produces a probabilistic uncertainty that increases with propagation distance for the expected value of the pulse's polarization state. An approximate evolution equation for the probability distribution of the polarization state was derived previously [Physica D [bold 55], 166 (1992)]. Comparisons between this distribution and Monte Carlo simulations are presented that demonstrate the validity of the analytical results. The simulations also show that the polarization state of a pulse is completely randomized on the longer soliton-period length scale. This provides justification for the assumption of a uniformly distributed polarization state used in previous analyses of this problem [Opt. Lett. [bold 16], 1231 (1991); J. Lightwave Technol. [bold 10], 28 (1992)]. Furthermore, the higher-order effects of group birefringence are assessed. In particular, the polarization-state fluctuations induced by the randomness are shown to reduce significantly the effects of pulse splitting and dispersive radiation loss caused by group-velocity birefringence.

DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
7042382
Journal Information:
Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part B: Optical Physics; (United States), Vol. 11:5; ISSN 0740-3224
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English