Nonlinear chirped-pulse propagation and supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fibers.

Based on the generalized nonlinear Schrödinger equation and waveguiding properties typical of the photonic crystal fiber structure, nonlinear chirped-pulse propagation and supercontinua generation in the femtosecond and picosecond regimes are investigated numerically. The simulation results indicate that an input chirp parameter mainly affects the initial stage of spectral broadening caused by the self-phase modulation (SPM) effect. In the femtosecond regime where the SPM effect plays an important role in the process of spectral broadening, an input positive chirp can enhance the supercontinuum bandwidth through a modified pulse compression phase and a decreased propagation distance required by soliton fission. In the picosecond regime, where the SPM effect contributes less to the continuum bandwidth and four-wave mixing process or modulational instability dominates the initial stage of spectral and temporal evolution, the output spectral shape and bandwidths are less sensitive to the input chirp parameters.