Abstract

The noise properties of propagation through optical fiber are of interest in optical communications. In recent years much attention has been focused on reducing the quantum fluctuations in one of two complementary field variables below the limit associated with coherent states. Nonlinear optical processes have played a key role in the realization of such behavior. We numerically investigate the noise properties associated with competing four-wave mixing (FWM) processes in optical fiber from a classical perspective. The nonlinear interaction of two pump waves at frequencies ω₁ and ω₂, which produce sidebands at 2ω₂–ω₁ and 2ω₁–ω₂ by multiple FWM, is considered. By introducing known classical fluctuations at the fiber input, one can trace the evolution of the noise in the different frequency components of the FWM spectrum by generating histograms at different fiber lengths and for different input pump powers and frequency separations. Classical behavior resembling squeezing is observed under appropriate conditions.

© 1992 Optical Society of America