Measuring the Raman time constant (T/sub R/) for soliton pulses in standard single-mode fiber

The Raman time constant (T/sub R/) used in the generalized nonlinear Schrodinger equation is determined experimentally at 1550 nm based on the Raman self-frequency shift in a standard single-mode fiber. The effective value of the T/sub R/ as measured is found to be 3.0 fs. Detailed error analysis shows that the uncertainty in the measurement is less than /spl plusmn/1.0 fs. The measured value of the T/sub R/ is approximately half of what is commonly used at present in theoretical simulations. Determined experimentally in this work the accurate value of T/sub R/=3.0 fs is essential in modeling pulse propagation in optical fibers.