Dynamics of high-power self-similar light pulses in a fiber laser with a carbon-nanotube saturable absorber

We present a numerical analysis of the dynamics of high-power self-similar light pulses in a fiber laser with a saturable absorber based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This analysis allows us to identify lasing regimes in a CNT-mode-locked ytterbium-fiber laser enabling the generation of self-similar linearly chirped light pulses with an energy up to 330 nJ, which can be compressed to a 210-fs transform-limited pulse width through linear chirp compensation in a pulse compressor. We show that, for typical parameters of a fiber laser, the bandwidth and the minimum transform-limited pulse width of a self-similar laser output are primarily limited by the small modulation depth of a CNT absorber.     

色散渐减光纤中自相似脉冲传输区域的研究

从非线性薛定谔(NLS)方程出发,用分步傅里叶方法结合对数值解的波形分析,确定了色散渐减光纤(DDF)中能实现自相似脉冲传输的区域,并研究了初始脉冲和光纤参数对自相似区域和演化速度的影响。结果表明,初始脉冲能量的减小有利于扩宽自相似区域,但会使自相似演化进程略为减慢;初始脉宽有一个最佳值,在最佳值上自相似区域最宽,演化较快且输出脉冲和啁啾较为稳定;高斯脉冲比双曲正割脉冲更快转化为自相似脉冲,传输区域也更广。选择具有较小非线性参量的DDF可以获得较广的自相似区域,同时非线性参量的增大可以加快自相似演化,而群速度色散参量和增益系数必须选择在最佳值附近,才能获得最大自相似区域和最快演化速度。     

基于耗散孤子种子的啁啾脉冲光纤放大系统输出特性

以不同滤波器带宽下获得的全正色散光纤激光器耗散孤子作为啁啾脉冲放大(CPA)系统的种子脉冲, 研究了光栅对和光纤展宽器CPA系统输出脉冲的可压缩性. 结果表明, 对于大能量耗散孤子种子脉冲, 当CPA系统采用正色散光纤展宽器时, 光纤群速色散与自相位调制之间的相互作用不仅可抑制耗散孤子脉冲光谱调制的影响, 还可使脉冲在光纤展宽器中自相似演化, 从而可提高CPA输出脉冲的可压缩性. 通过优化光纤展宽器长度, 对于耗散孤子种子源, 采用光纤展宽器的CPA系统输出脉冲可压缩性与主脉冲所占脉冲总能量之比均优于采用光栅对展宽器时的情况.     

利用非线性脉冲预整形实现脉冲快速自相似放大

报道了一种通过预先对信号光脉冲非线性整形, 进而在光纤放大器中实现自相似演化的方法. 利用透射光栅对和普通单模光纤组成被动脉冲整形装置, 预先优化脉冲的时域宽度和光谱质量, 使脉冲在光纤放大器中快速演化到自相似子. 研究中首先通过数值模拟对比, 说明了非线性整形对脉冲实现快速自相似放大的关键作用, 提高了放大器输出脉冲质量, 减小了去啁啾脉冲宽度. 实验中, 通过优化非线性整形输出, 在2.2 m 长的掺Yb³⁺光纤中, 在一定抽运功率范围内均实现了脉冲自相似放大, 去啁啾后得到脉冲宽度60 fs 的变换极限脉冲输出. 这种非线性脉冲预整形方法有效减小了 自相似演化所需光纤长度, 同时降低了自相似放大对种子源质量的要求, 首次将全正色散光纤锁模激光器成功用于自相似放大, 促进了当前自相似放大系统的全光纤化. 关键词： 非线性整形 光纤放大器 自相似放大 飞秒激光     

高非线性光纤产生自相似抛物线脉冲的特性研究

基于脉冲在光纤中传输所满足的非线性薛定谔方程,采用数值计算的方法对脉冲在高非线性光纤中演化成自相似抛物线脉冲的传输特性进行了研究。结果表明,脉冲在不同初始能量和啁啾参量的情况下,高非线性光纤产生自相似抛物线脉冲,且随着归一化长度的增大,脉冲的自相似指数从0.0796减小到0.0720。进一步的研究表明:啁啾高斯脉冲在光纤传输过程中,脉冲逐渐展宽,同时正啁啾越大,其自相似演化结果越差;参数N=8的正负啁啾脉冲分别演化成平顶自相似抛物线脉冲以及三角形脉冲。     

Pulse Evolution Characteristics in Self-Similar Mode-locked Fibre Laser

A self-similar mode locked fibre laser is studied based on a numerical model. By introducing a dimensionless factor k to characterize the pulse shape, the self-similar pulse evolution, formation and the temporal and spectral shape changes due to the elements in the cavity are investigated throughout the laser cavity. The results show that in the self-similar mode locked fibre laser, self-similar pulse is first formed in the single-mode fibre, which is then amplified in the gain fibre. Gain bandwidth has a small influence on pulse shape, so high energy self-similar pulse can be obtained after amplification. Because net cavity dispersion directly influences the pulse width as well as peak power after compression by a pair of gratings, which can determine the pulse self-similar evolution, it is very important to control the net cavity dispersion to a certain range to obtain self-similar pulses.     

高重复频率飞秒掺镱光纤放大器

 数值分析了掺镱单模光纤放大器的最佳增益光纤长度，并在实验上对掺镱单模光纤放大器和光栅对压缩器进行了研究。以最大平均输出功率为7 mW、重复频率为25.4 MHz、脉宽为56 ps的被动锁模环形腔掺镱光纤激光器作为种子脉冲，用250 mW的976 nm单模半导体激光器分别泵浦3种不同长度的掺镱单模光纤，对种子光进行放大，并用光栅对压缩器对放大后的脉冲在不同光栅距离上进行了压缩实验研究。当掺镱单模光纤长度为1.2 m时得到了较好的放大效果，种子脉冲被放大到140 mW，相应的增益为13 dB，放大后的单脉冲能量为5.5 nJ。在光栅距离为14.1 cm时获得了最短440 fs的脉冲，压缩后的功率为43 mW，相应的峰值功率为3.8 kW。     

Graphene-based passively Q-switched 2 μm thulium-doped fiber laser

We demonstrated stable pulses generation at 2 μm in a passively Q-switched thulium-doped fiber laser using a few layer graphene thin film. The maximum output power was 4.5 mW and the single pulse energy was 85 nJ at 53 kHz repetition rate, and the pulse width was about 1.4 μs. The pulse width and the repetition rate of the Q-switched fiber laser can be changed along with the pump power. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of graphene saturable absorber for passively Q-switched 2 μm fiber lasers.     

Generation of 47-fs pulses directly from an erbium-doped fiber laser

We show both numerically and experimentally that through appropriately selecting the output coupling position and strength in a mode-locked fiber laser, one can effectively manage the nonlinearity of the cavity. By implementing the technique together with cavity dispersion management in an erbium-doped fiber laser, we have achieved stable mode-locked pulses with a single-pulse energy of 2.08 nJ and pulse width of 46.2 fs directly from the laser.     

皮秒光纤激光脉冲两个关键问题的研究

窄带耗散孤子锁模光纤激光器可以产生接近变换限制的皮秒脉冲，但受非线性相移的限制，输出脉冲重复频率不能通过增加腔长来降低，脉冲能量仅在0.1 nJ以下，严重制约着这类皮秒脉冲的实际应用。提出一种通过耦合器抽取腔内脉冲能量、抑制腔内非线性相移积累，进而允许增加腔长来降低窄带耗散孤子皮秒光纤激光脉冲重复频率的方法。运用该方法，成功地将激光器重复频率由35.2 MHz降低到了1.77 MHz，且脉冲时频特性保持不变。提出了一种基于级间FBG陷波滤波的抑制皮秒脉冲光纤放大中光谱展宽的方法。通过简单地使用级间陷波滤波器，既可窄化第一级光纤放大器后的输出脉冲谱宽，允许采用第二级光纤放大器进一步提升脉冲能量，而且，还可将脉冲重塑为近高斯形，利用高斯脉冲光谱展宽斜率小的特点，允许第二级光纤放大器将脉冲能量提升得更高。利用该方法，在RMS（均方值）谱宽保持0.4 nm以内的前提下，10 ps脉冲经标准单模光纤放大器后，能量可由0.2 nJ可提升到10 nJ以上。     

Generation of excellent self-similar pulses in a dispersion-decreasing fiber

Pulses compression has been widely studied for a long time. In order to generate excellent self-similar pulses in a dispersion-decreasing optical fiber with normal group-velocity dispersion, the influence of initial pulse parameters on the properties of the self-similar parabolic pulses interaction are firstly investigated in the paper. We find that the phase of sinusoidal fit and asymptotic dark soliton change according to the changing of initial phase difference. Meanwhile, increasing the full-width at half-maximum and input energy or decreasing time-delay properly, the interaction between self-similar pulses enhances accordingly, which makes the interaction length shorter and reduce the lose of energy, resulting in high energy output. The results are beneficial in experimental studies by adjusting the initial parameters of pulses to generate high-quality self-similar pulse. It is important for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) transmission system which is in heavy demands of light source in wide-range wavelength.     

Self-similar amplification in fiber Bragg gratings written in fiber amplifiers

We show, by using numerical simulations, that self-similar pulses with a duration on the order of few nanoseconds and an energy on the order of 10?μJ can be obtained at the output of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) written in a fiber amplifier. The evolution of the amplified pulses is determined by the combined effect of Kerr nonlinearity, normal-dispersion, gain, and gain saturation, which limit the pulse energy. The output pulse mainly depends on the initial pulse energy rather than on the initial pulse profile. The reduced group velocity in FBGs can significantly increase the total gain for a given amplifier length. Hence we find that the proposed amplification scheme can be highly advantageous for amplification of nanosecond-scale pulses in fiber amplifiers.     

光纤放大器中的自相似抛物脉冲

本文研究在含有增益色散、增益饱和、三阶色散、自频移、自陡峭等效应的光纤放大器中自相似抛物脉冲的产生和传输。结果表明,在渐近约束条件下,自相似脉冲的中心区域可用倒置的抛物脉冲来描绘,并且它的有效脉宽和功率都是线性增长的,而峰值振幅和频谱宽度保持常量。数值模拟结果与理论预期符合的非常好,这表明:在光纤放大器中,在适当的条件下初始输入脉冲可自相似地演化为抛物脉冲。     

全光纤高功率被动锁模掺铥光纤激光器

利用非线性光环形镜(NOLM)的可饱和吸收特性实现了可自启动的2μm全光纤高能量被动锁模掺铥光纤激光器。当泵浦功率大于3W时,激光器工作在连续或不稳定脉冲运转状态;泵浦功率达到4.69W后,输出为自启动锁模脉冲,重复频率4.26MHz,中心波长2 061.5nm,光谱半极大宽度18.1nm,平均输出功率8.8mW;继续增加泵浦功率到最大值7.56W,可以得到中心波长2 062.2nm、光谱半极大宽度17.1nm、斜率效率为6.2%、脉冲宽度和能量分别为424fs和65.6nJ的稳定锁模脉冲。这是目前已报道的在未经放大情况下脉冲能量最高的2μm锁模脉冲光纤激光器。     

Experimental Observation of Bright and Dark Solitons Mode-Locked with Zirconia-Based Erbium-Doped Fiber Laser

We demonstrate the generation of dark and bright solitons with our homemade zirconia-based erbium-doped fiber and graphene oxide(GO) saturable absorber in anomalous dispersion region.The GO is fabricated using an abridged Hummer's method,which is combined with polyethylene oxide to produce a composite film.The film is sandwiched between two optical ferrules and embedded in the laser cavity to enhance its birefringence and nonlinearity.The self-starting bright soliton is easily generated at pump power of 78 mW with the whole length cavity of 14.7 m.The laser produces the bright pulse train with repetition rate,pulse width,pulse energy and central wavelength being 13.9 MHz,0.6 ps,2.74 p J and 1577.46 nm,respectively.Then,by adding the 10 m of single mode fiber into the laser cavity,dark soliton pulse is produced.For the formation of dark pulse train,the measured repetition rate,pulse width,pulse energy and central wavelength are 8.3 MHz,20 ns and 4.98 p J and1596.82 nm,respectively.Both pulses operate in the anomalous region.     

Sub-60-fs ytterbium-doped fiber laser with a fiber-based dispersion compensation

We present a mode-locked ytterbium fiber laser with a higher-order mode fiber compensating the group-velocity dispersion and partially the third-order dispersion of the single-mode fiber at a wavelength of 1 microm. The generated pulses had an energy of 0.5 nJ and could be dechirped externally to a pulse duration of less than 60 fs. The power spectrum shows a spectral full width at half-maximum of 57 nm.     

Enhanced soliton self-frequency shift of ultrashort light pulses

Photonic-crystal fibers are used to study scenarios of soliton self-frequency shift for laser pulses with initial pulse lengths much less than the Raman-mode period of the fiber material. A typical frequency shift of subnanojoule Ti: sapphire-laser pulses with an initial duration of about 30 fs transmitted through a fiber with a core diameter of about 1.6 μm and a length of about 7 cm exceeds 100 THz. The rate of soliton self-frequency shift is radically increased by reducing the initial pulse width.     

波长可调谐超短光脉冲的简便高质的生成技术

提出了一种以处于增益开关调制状态下的法布里珀罗(Fabry-Pérot)半导体激光器作为光源,采用简单的自激注入锁定方式,以生成波长可调谐的超短光脉冲的实验系统。该实验装置中,激光器的外腔包括两个串联在一起的布拉格光纤光栅,一个掺铒光纤放大器(EDFA),一个光耦合器和两个环行器,其作用是选模,以及增强并控制反馈回激光器内腔的光强。该实验系统简单而高效,在24nm的波长调谐范围内获得了边模抑制比高于40dB的单模光脉冲输出;而在1521.8nm和1550.0nm之间28.2nm的波长调谐范围内,边模抑制比高于35dB。所得到的各个单波长激光脉冲的时域半峰全宽为140~260ps,各个脉冲的光谱半峰全宽皆为0.1nm。     

Performance of optical fibers for transmission of high-peak-power XeCl excimer laser pulses

The simple and efficient fiber delivery of 5-ns pulses from a XeCl excimer laser operating at a wavelength of 308 nm is demonstrated. The coupling scheme uses all of the output energy of the XeCl excimer laser and benefits from a simple and easy-to-adjust fiber coupling. Experiments on the 308-nm fiber delivery for more than 2.5 million laser pulses of 8-ns pulse width (FWHM) and up to 8-mJ stabilized pulse energy are performed. The long-time pulsed UV laser transmission is found to be different for individual samples of optical fibers that perform very similarly in low-intensity UV light applications. For applications with strict demands on the long-time stability, a critical evaluation of the fiber performance with the 308-nm laser under operating conditions is necessary. Measurements between 1 and 200 Hz show a negligible dependence of the fiber delivery performance on the repetition rate of the transmitted laser pulses. PACS 42.55.Lt; 42.81.Cn; 07.69.Vg     

基于混合锁模的耗散孤子掺铒光纤激光器

从一种简单、全光纤结构的混合被动锁模掺铒光纤激光器中,得到了高稳定性、宽光谱的耗散孤子。激光器结合了半导体可饱和吸收体和非线性偏振旋转两种锁模机制,并运行在正常色散区内;通过色散管理,激光器能产生光谱宽度39.1 nm和时域宽度178 fs的孤子脉冲序列。激光输出的中心波长为1.55μm,重复频率约为34.3 MHz,单脉冲能量在0.33 nJ左右。与此同时,激光器的斜效率也约等于15.5%;室温工作下,激光器能实现自启动锁模,且运行在稳定单脉冲输出状态的时长在15 h以上。