Time-spectrally-resolved ultrafast nonlinear dynamics in small-core photonic crystal fibers: Experiment and modelling

Nonlinear dynamics of ultrashort optical pulses in the vicinity of the second zero-dispersion point of a small-core photonic crystal fiber is visualized and studied using cross-correlation frequency-resolved optical gating. New spectral features observed in the experiments match well with recent theoretical predictions of the generation of new frequencies via mixing of solitons and dispersive waves. Power- as well as length-dependent dynamics is obtained showing strong interaction between solitons and dispersive waves, soliton-soliton interaction, soliton stabilization against Raman self-frequency shift and Cherenkov continuum generation.