Broadband parametric wavelength conversion at 1 μm with large mode area fibers

Fiber-optic parametric wavelength conversion (PWC) below the zero-dispersion wavelength of silica is typically constrained by the requirement of a small, tightly confined mode with anomalous dispersion to achieve phase matching. This limits the ability to power scale PWC at arbitrary wavelengths. However, the constraint is lifted for higher-order modes. We demonstrate PWC in the 1 mu m band via degenerate four-wave mixing pumped in a large effective area (>600 mu m(2)) LP0,7 mode of a double-clad fiber. We obtain up to 25% conversion in to the Stokes line with 0.5 ns pump pulses, corresponding to similar to 20 kW peak power at the converted wavelength. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America