All-Chalcogenide Raman-Parametric Laser, Wavelength Converter, and Amplifier in a Single Microwire

Compact, power efficient, and fiber-compatible lasers, wavelength converters, and amplifiers are vital devices for the future of fiber-optic systems and networks. Nonlinear optical effects, like Raman scattering and parametric four-wave mixing, offer a way to realize such devices. Here, we use a single chalcogenide microwire to realize a device that provides the functions of a Stokes Raman-parametric laser, a four-wave mixing anti-Stokes wavelength converter, an ultra-broadband Stokes/anti-Stokes Raman amplifier and a supercontinuum generator. The device operation relies on ultrahigh Raman and Kerr gain that are up to five orders of magnitude larger than in silica fibers, precisely engineered chromatic dispersion, and high photosensitivity of the chalcogenide microwire. Owing to the underlying principle of nonlinear optical processes, the device is anticipated to operate over the entire transmission window of the chalcogenide glass (λ ~ 1-10 μm).