Fifteen years of nonlinear semiconductor optical fibers: a review of past, present, and future

First reported in 2006 and scaled to long and practical lengths in 2008, semiconductor core optical fibers have matured from basic material and fiber fabrication explorations to a diverse range of practical applications. The ability to bring many on-chip optoelectronic functions inside an optical fiber offers many benefits. This paper begins with a brief historical review of semiconductor fibers, the principal fiber fabrication approaches employed, and the range of material system realized. From there, the nonlinear properties and approaches to their optimization will be discussed along with a range of nonlinear in-fiber devices that have been reported in both telecom and mid-infrared spectral regions. Lastly, ongoing challenges and musings on future semiconductor fiber materials, devices, and performance will be made leveraging their significant benefits in terms of their flexibility, power handling, wavelength coverage, and general ease of use over competing fiber and on-chip platforms.