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The conservation of spectral asymmetry is a fundamental feature of the ideal four‐wave mixing process as it exists in a medium combining quadratic chromatic dispersion and third‐order nonlinearity. The robustness of this invariant in an experimental configuration where the excitation conditions of an optical fiber are sequentially updated, mimicking infinite propagation is tested in this paper. This theoretical and experimental study reveals the high sensitivity of the asymmetry to very slight deviations from the ideal case, and the idealized system behaves as an intermediate case between the ideal case of noncascaded four‐wave mixing and propagation in a system governed by the nonlinear Schrödinger equation is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four-wave mixing process is a fundamental nonlinear interaction in Kerr media that can be described by a closed trajectory in the associated phase plane. We show here that it is possible to manipulate these trajectories and to connect any two points that are not part of the same orbit. Our approach is based on a localized abrupt modification of the average power of the system. This mechanism is confirmed using different experimental realizations where iterative propagation in a short fiber segment mimics propagation in an idealized longer optical fiber. • Closed trajectories in the phase plane associated with four wave-mixing can be manipulated. • Any two points that are not part of the same orbit can be connected thanks to a control parameter. • A localized abrupt modification of the average power of the system acts as the switching parameter. • This mechanism is confirmed by various experimental realizations of an idealized optical fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]