Parametric four-photon mixing followed by stimulated Raman scattering with optical pulses in birefringent optical fibers

An analysis into the phase matching condition of four-photon mixing in birefringent optical fibers is presented. The analysis yields six independent parametric processes. Some of the associated frequency shifts show a dependence on the fiber birefringence, allowing the authors to obtain constraints under which the parametric Stokes pulse will fall within the Raman gain band to undergo subsequent Raman amplifications. Both polarizations of the pump contribute to the Stokes gain through the stimulated Raman effect. Emphasis is placed on short optical pulses with tradeoffs among frequency shift, pulse walk-off length, and fiber attenuation to yield maximum power conversion to the Stokes frequency. Numerical simulation with a highly birefringent germania-doped silica fiber is used to illustrate the conditions for maximum gain of the Stokes signal