Abstract

We propose and analyze a novel (to our knowledge) approach to implement the spectral self-imaging effect of optical frequency combs. The technique is based on time-domain multilevel phase-only modulation of a periodic optical pulse train. The method admits both infinite- and finite-duration periodic pulse sequences. We show that the fractional spectral self-imaging effect allows one to reduce by an integer factor the comb frequency spacing. Numerical simulation results support our theoretical analysis.

© 2011 Optical Society of America

Spectral self-imaging of time-periodic coherent frequency combs by parabolic cross-phase modulation

Reza Maram and José Azaña
Opt. Express 21(23) 28824-28835 (2013)

Discretely tunable comb spacing of a frequency comb by multilevel phase modulation of a periodic pulse train

Antonio Malacarne and José Azaña
Opt. Express 21(4) 4139-4144 (2013)

Spectral Talbot phenomena of frequency combs induced by cross-phase modulation in optical fibers

José Azaña
Opt. Lett. 30(3) 227-229 (2005)

Temporal self-imaging effect for periodically modulated trains of pulses

S. Tainta, M. J. Erro, M. J. Garde, and M. A. Muriel
Opt. Express 22(12) 15251-15266 (2014)

Temporal self-imaging effects for periodic optical pulse sequences of finite duration

José Azaña
J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 20(1) 83-90 (2003)