Nonlinear spectral shaping and optical rogue events in fiber-based systems

We provide an overview of our recent work on the shaping and stability of optical continua in the long pulse regime. Fibers with normal group-velocity dispersion at all-wavelengths are shown to allow for highly coherent continua that can be nonlinearly shaped using appropriate initial conditions. In contrast, supercontinua generated in the anomalous dispersion regime are shown to exhibit large fluctuations in the temporal and spectral domains that can be controlled using a carefully chosen seed. A particular example of this is the first experimental observation of the Peregrine soliton which constitutes a prototype of optical rogue-waves.

► Fibers with normal GVD at all-wavelengths allow highly coherent continua. ► A rich variety of reshaping process is enabled in these normally dispersive fibers. ► Supercontinua generated in the anomalous dispersion exhibits large fluctuations. ► Temporal and spectral fluctuations can be controlled using a carefully chosen seed. ► This kind of control can be used to generate the Peregrine soliton.