Abstract

The ultrashort pulse measurement technique of frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) has been used to characterize the propagation of picosecond pulses at wavelengths around 1550 nm in a variety of different optical fibers used in communications applications. In this paper, we review the use of the FROG technique for ultrashort pulse measurements, discussing in particular several practical issues of importance for accurate results at wavelengths around 1550 nm. We describe the use of FROG measurements to characterize pulse distortion in standard, dispersion-shifted, and erbium-doped optical fiber, and show how they provide direct measurements of complex intensity and phase evolution arising from the interplay of fiber nonlinearity and dispersion. We also discuss the application of the FROG technique to accurately measure the dispersive and the nonlinear parameters of optical fibers, and we present results for standard single-mode fiber in good agreement with specifications.

*1 S. L. Shapiro