Finite element analysis of Brillouin gain in SBS-suppressing optical fibers with non-uniform acoustic velocity profiles

Abstract

A numerical investigation is presented of Brillouin gain in SBS-suppressing optical fibers with non-uniform acoustic velocity profiles. The equation determining the acoustic displacement in response to the electrostriction caused by the pump and Stokes waves reduces to the non-homogeneous Helmholtz equation for fibers with a uniform acoustic velocity profile. In this special case the acoustic displacement and subsequently the Brillouin gain are calculated using a Green's function. These results are then used to validate a finite-element solution of the same equation. This finite element method is then used to analyze a standard large mode area fiber as well as fibers incorporating four different acoustic velocity profiles with 5% variation in the acoustic velocity across the core. The profiles which suppress the peak Brillouin gain most effectively exhibit a maximum acoustic gradient near the midpoint between the center and boundary of the fiber core. These profiles produce 11 dB of suppression relative to standard large mode area fibers.