Highly-nonlinear bismuth oxide-based glass fibers for all-optical signal processing

We have developed a highly nonlinear fiber made of the Bi/sub 2/O/sub 3/-based glass. From four-wave mixing measurements, the nonlinear coefficient is estimated to be /spl gamma/ = 64.2 W/sup -1/ km/sup -1/. The propagation loss is less than 0.8 dB/m, and it can be fusion-spliced to SiO/sub 2/ fibers. These characteristics are very attractive for applications of the Bi-fiber to all-optical signal processing devices.