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arXiv · 2409.15929

Sub-nanosecond all-optically reconfigurable photonics in optical fibres

Kunhao Ji·David J. Richardson·Stefan Wabnitz·Massimiliano Guasoni
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Abstract

We introduce a novel all-optical platform in multimode and multicore fibres. By using a low-power probe beam and a high-power counter-propagating control beam, we achieve advanced and dynamic control over light propagation within the fibres. This setup enables all-optical reconfiguration of the probe, which is achieved by solely tuning the control beam power. Key operations such as fully tuneable power splitting and mode conversion, core-to-core switching and combination, along with remote probe characterization, are demonstrated at the sub-nanosecond time scale. Our experimental results are supported by a theoretical model that extends to fibres with an arbitrary number of modes and cores. The implementation of these operations in a single platform underlines its versatility, a critical feature of next-generation photonic systems. These results represent a significant shift from existing methods that rely on electro-optical or thermo-optical modulation for tunability. They pave the way towards a fast and energy-efficient alternative through all-optical modulation, a keystone for the advancement of future reconfigurable optical networks and optical computing. Scaling these techniques to highly nonlinear materials could underpin ultrafast all-optically programmable integrated photonics.

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Kunhao Ji, David J. Richardson, Stefan Wabnitz, Massimiliano Guasoni. 2024-09-24. Sub-nanosecond all-optically reconfigurable photonics in optical fibres. https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.15929

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