All-optical sampling and magnification based on XPM-induced focusing

We theoretically and experimentally investigate the design of an all-optical magnification and sampling function free from any active gain medium or additional amplified spontaneous noise emission. The proposed technique is based on the co-propagation of an arbitrary shaped signal together with an orthogonally polarized intense fast sinusoidal beating within a normally dispersive optical fiber. This process allows us to experimentally demonstrate a 40-GHz sampling operation as well as an 8-dB magnification of an arbitrary shaped nanosecond signal around 1550 nm in a 5-km long optical fiber. The experimental observations are in good agreement with numerical and theoretical analysis. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America