Temporal nonlinear beam dynamics in infiltrated photonics crystal fibres

Abstract

Infiltrated photonic crystal fibres (PCFs) offer a new way of studying nonlinearity in periodic systems. A wide range of available structures and the ease of infiltration opens up a large range of new experimental opportunities in bio-physics, nonlinear optics, and the study of long range interactions in nonlinear media. Devices relying on these effects have many applications, from bio-sensors, to all optical switches. To further understand these nonlinear interactions and realise their potential applications, the effects of nonlinearity need to be studied on the short time scale. In this work we study the temporal dynamics of thermally induced spatial nonlinearity in liquid-filled photonic crystal fibres. Light is injected into a single hole of an infiltrated PCF cladding, and the subsequent response is measured at a few milliseconds time scale. We experimentally demonstrate the short time scale behavior of such systems, and characterise the effects of this thermal nonlinearity.