Experimental Study of SBS Suppression via White Noise Phase Modulation

Abstract

Power scaling of single-frequency high power optical fiber lasers is limited due to the stimulated-Brillouin scattering (SBS). Towards that end, line broadening through white noise phase modulation can be used to suppress SBS. Theoretical models predict the SBS threshold enhancement factor as a function of linewidth and fiber length, but have yet to be experimentally verified. A radio frequency (RF) white noise source (WNS), in conjunction with RF low pass filters, is used to randomly modulate an optical signal through an electro-optic modulator (EOM). The optical signal is broadened, with optical bandwidth controlled through RF filtering. Subsequently, this modulated signal is used in a cutback experiment with a passive fiber. Studies describing enhancement factors as a function of linewidth and fiber length are investigated. Results indicate a reduction in the SBS threshold enhancement factor at shorter fiber lengths, which is in reasonable agreement with the theoretical predictions. Finally, we compare these results with cutback experiments conducted using phase modulation through pseudo random bit sequence (PRBS).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 10, 2014
Accession Number
ADA626963

Entities

People

  • Angel Flores
  • Brian Anderson
  • Craig Robin
  • Iyad Dajani

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Amplifiers
  • Bandwidth
  • Brillouin Scattering
  • Electro-Optic Modulators
  • Frequency
  • Governments
  • Lasers
  • Low Pass Filters
  • Modulation
  • Optical Fiber Lasers
  • Phase Modulation
  • Phase Modulators
  • Radio Frequency
  • Scattering
  • White Noise

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Radar Systems Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy