Enhanced nonlinear interactions in one-dimensional photonic crystals: polarization mode conversion

A range of nonlinear effects have been predicted and observed experimentally in uniform optical fibers, where the typical interaction length for picosecond pulses is kilometers. Many of these effects have now been observed in one-dimensional photonic crystals, where dispersion is provided by a Bragg grating located in the core of an optical fiber, and the interaction length is reduced to only centimeters. This paper reviews nonlinear propagation of optical pulses in fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). In particular, we show that propagation through a FBG enhances nonlinear interactions and demonstrate a dramatic decrease in polarization-instability threshold as an optical pulse is tuned near the photonic bandgap formed by the FBG.