Spectral changes induced by a phase modulator acting as a time lens

We show both numerically and experimentally that a phase modulator, acting as a time lens in the Fourier-lens configuration, can induce spectral broadening, narrowing, or shifts, depending on the phase of the modulator cycle. These spectral effects depend on the maximum phase shift that can be imposed by the modulator. In our numerical simulations, pulse spectrum could be compressed by a factor of 8 for a 30 rad phase shift. Experimentally, spectral shifts over a 1.35 nm range and spectral narrowing and broadening by a factor of 2 were demonstrated using a lithium niobate phase modulator with a maximum phase shift of 16 rad at a 10 GHz modulation frequency. All spectral changes were accomplished without employing optical nonlinear effects such as selfor cross-phase modulation. © 2015 Optical Society of America