Symmetry-breaking dynamics of the modulational instability spectrum

M. Droques (1) , B. Barviau (1) , Alexandre Kudlinski (1) , M. Taki (1) , A. Boucon (2) , T. Sylvestre (3) , Arnaud Mussot (1)

1 PhLAM - Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers, Atomes et Molécules - UMR 8523
2 ICB - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne
3 FEMTO-ST - Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174)

We demonstrate in an optical fiber that third-order dispersion yields an unexpected symmetry-breaking dynamics of the modulational instability spectrum. It is found in particular that this spectral asymmetry does not smoothly and monotonically increase when approaching the zero-dispersion wavelength. Instead, it exhibits several local extrema and it can even be reversed at a particular dispersion value. We interpret this behavior as resulting from interactions between dispersive waves and solitons generated from modulation instability.

Domaines: Optique / photonique

M. Droques, B. Barviau, Alexandre Kudlinski, M. Taki, A. Boucon, et al.. Symmetry-breaking dynamics of the modulational instability spectrum. Optics Letters, 2011, 36 (8), pp.1359-1361. ⟨10.1364/OL.36.001359⟩. ⟨hal-00655058⟩