[论文解读] Kerr-induced Spectral Interferometry for Direct Ultra-sensitive Phase Recovery

Glitta R. Cheeran, Mehmet Müftüoğlu+3 more|Figshare|Feb 26, 2026

Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications被引用 0

一句话总结

引入一种无参考的 Kerr 诱导谱干涉方法，通过谱测量直接实现超灵敏的光学相位恢复，在光纤系统高重复率下实现高信噪比的 π/385 相位灵敏度。

ABSTRACT

Measuring the phase of light is fundamental to optical imaging, sensing, and signal processing applications. Conventional optical phase measurements rely on multipath configurations, bulky interferometric setups, and computationally intensive data pipelines, limiting scalability, robustness, and practicality. We introduce a technique that allows for reference-free in-line phase retrieval of abrupt phase transitions in optical pulses directly from spectral measurements. Theory, simulations, and experiments concurrently explain the effect as a result of a Kerr-mediated interference between a projected linear wave component and the high-intensity residual of the phase-altered pulse. Utilizing this phenomenon, we demonstrate algorithm-free phase measurements of up to π/385 sensitivity and shot-to-shot signal prominence at 13 dB above noise at 80 MHz rates and 50 pJ pulse energies. This approach offers new paths toward the use of femtosecond pulses as broadband data carriers for optical communications, information processing, and direct high-throughput phase imaging.

研究动机与目标

• Motivate the need for reference-free, high-throughput phase retrieval in ultrafast optics and imaging.
• Develop a Kerr-based mechanism that converts spectral phase changes into measurable intensity peaks.
• Demonstrate both theory and experiment of single-bit and distributed phase recovery in fiber systems.

提出的方法

• Model the pulse as a strong linear component plus a weak phase-modulated component and a Kerr-induced CW contribution in spectral domain.
• Derive a coupled mode framework linking self-phase modulation and cross-phase modulation to Kerr-induced spectral interference.
• Derive a closed-form phase-to-intensity mapping in the weakly nonlinear limit and validate with full coupled-mode simulations.
• Experimentally encode narrow spectral phase bits with a WaveShaper and propagate through a normally dispersive highly nonlinear fiber.
• Utilize dispersive Fourier transform for single-shot, pulse-to-pulse phase readout and readout via an optical spectrum analyzer.

实验结果

研究问题

• RQ1 Can Kerr nonlinearity convert spectral phase changes into detectable intensity peaks without an external reference?
• RQ2 What are the operating parameter ranges (pulse width, peak power, fiber length) that maximize phase-to-intensity contrast?
• RQ3 Can distributed spectral phase information (e.g., images) be recovered directly from intensity measurements?
• RQ4 What is the achievable phase sensitivity and SNR for high-rate, single-shot phase retrieval?
• RQ5 Is reference-free, high-throughput phase sensing feasible at femto- to picosecond scales and tens of MHz to GHz repetition rates?

主要发现

• Kerr-induced spectral interferometry enables reference-free intra-pulse phase recovery with phase-to-intensity mapping.
• An extraordinary phase sensitivity of π/385 is demonstrated within a practical operating range (π/2 to 2π/3).
• Shot-to-shot phase measurements at 80 MHz with ~50 pJ pulse energies achieve 13 dB SNR above noise.
• Single-shot phase recovery at 80 MHz with 200 fs pulses, 200 W pump demonstrates viable pulse-to-pulse phase readout.
• Distributed phase information (MNIST images) can be recovered from spectral intensity peaks after nonlinear propagation, with correction methods improving fidelity.
• The method yields linear phase-to-intensity mapping in many regimes and supports parallel, broadband phase recovery across multiple spectral channels.