Spectrum control and shaping of optical pulses in optical fibre interferometers

This paper discusses the use of single-mode fibre ring interferometers for injection laser line narrowing and for enhancement of optical emission power. The efficient launching into fibre ring interferometers of multi-frequency external cavity injection laser emission, in both the c.w. and mode-locking regime, has been achieved. Matching the optical lengths of the external cavity and fibre interferometer allowed the measurement of mode width of such a laser. A method is proposed for shaping optical pulses in fibre ring interferometers from constant intensity frequency modulated emission. The mode-locking regime of all-fibre external cavity injection lasers has been achieved.     

Generation of the numerator=2 rational harmonic mode-locked pulses in fiber ring lasers

In conventional rational harmonic mode-locking, optical pulse trains with the repetition rate of(pn + 1)fc are generated when the modulation frequency of the in-cavity modulator is set at fm=(n + 1/p)fc, where n and p are both integers, fc is the fundamental cavity frequency. In this paper, we report that rational harmonic mode locking phenomenon takes place in the fiber lasers when the modulation frequency is set at fm =(n + 2/p)fc. The pulse generations are experimentally demonstrated when the numerator of the rational corresponds to 2 in 5th and 7th order rational harmonic mode-locking.     

Passive harmonic mode locking of soliton bunches in a fiber ring laser

We report on the experimental observation of passive harmonic mode locking of bunches of single-pulse solitons or twin-pulse solitons in an Erbium-doped fiber ring laser. Experimental investigations on the phenomenon revealed that, although the soliton interaction between the adjacent single-/twin-pulse solitons in a bunch is weaker than that of the pulse interaction in the twin-pulse solitons, a soliton bunch could also function as a unit and form the state of passively harmonic mode-locking. Harmonic mode-locking is one of the intrinsic characteristics of soliton emission in passively mode-locked fiber ring lasers. It can be formed based on the single-pulse soliton, twin-pulse soliton, or bunch of solitons.     

40 GHz Mode-Locked Semiconductor Lasers: Theory, Simulations and Experiment

We study both theoretically and experimentally typical operation regimes of 40 GHz monolithic mode-locked lasers. The underlying Traveling Wave Equation model reveals quantitative agreement for characteristics of the fundamental mode-locking as pulse width and repetition frequency tuning, as well as qualitative agreement with the experiments for other dynamic regimes. Especially the appearance of stable harmonic mode-locking at 80 GHz has been predicted theoretically and confirmed by measurements. Furthermore, we derive and apply a simplified Delay-Differential-Equation model which guides us to a qualitative analysis of bifurcations responsible for the appearance and the breakup of different mode-locking regimes. Higher harmonics of mode-locking are predicted by this model as well.     

Harmonic Mode-Locked Ytterbium-Doped Fibre Ring Laser

We demonstrate a harmonic mode-locked ytterbium-doped fibre ring laser, which consists of a polarization-sensitive isolator, two polarization controllers, two 976nm laser diodes as the pump source and a two-segment ytterbium-doped fibre. Utilizing an additive pulse mode-locked technique based on nonlinear polarization evolution, the ytterbium-doped fibre laser can operate in mode-locked state by adjusting the position of polarization controllers. The cavity fundamental repetition rate is 23.78 MHz. We also observe the second- and third-harmonic mode locking in the normal dispersion region, and their repetition rates are 47.66 MHz and 71.56 MHz, respectively. Over-driving of the saturable absorber in the harmonic mode-locking pulse is analysed and discussed in detail.     

Harmonic mode locking in a sliding-frequency fiber laser

We demonstrate a sliding-frequency mode-locked (SFM) erbium fiber laser generating 20 ps pulses with center wavelengths rapidly sweeping across a spectral range of 50 nm. Excess optical nonlinearity in the laser cavity leads to multipulsing, with a tendency to tight pulse bunching (<3 ns) at the fundamental cavity frequency of 25 MHz. The addition of a parallel optical delay line, with a path difference equal to a rational fraction of the cavity length, distributes the pulses uniformly across the entire cavity and achieves a harmonic SFM up to 1 GHz. The result establishes cavity nonlinearity as a critical design parameter for picosecond wavelength-swept lasers.     

Generation of 207-femtosecond pulses from a ytterbium figure-of-eight fibre laser

We report the generation of 207-fs pulses with 1.2mW average power at 1036nm directly from a passively mode-locked Yb-doped fibre laser with a nonlinear optical loop mirror for mode-locking and pairs of diffraction gratings for intracavity dispersion compensation. These results imply a 4-fold reduction in pulse duration over previously reported figure-of-eight cavity passively mode-locked Yb-doped fibre lasers. Stable pulse trains are produced at the fundamental repetition rate of the resonator, 24.0MHz. On the other hand, this laser offers a cleaner spectrum and greater stability and is completely self-starting.     

Toward higher-order passive harmonic mode-locking of a soliton fiber laser

We report >13 MHz/mW pump power efficiency in increasing the repetition rate of passive harmonic mode-locking by engineering the soliton pulse energy in Er fiber lasers incorporating carbon nanotube saturable absorber. Stable pulses with a ～5 GHz repetition rate and 40 dB of super-mode suppression are demonstrated with only ～400 mW pump power in a single-clad fiber laser.     

Synchronous Injection Locking Operation of Monolithic Diode Lasers Mode-Locked Diode Lasers

Synchronized mode-locking of monolithic mode-locked diode lasers has been demonstrated by injecting the light output from a master monolithic mode-locked diode laser. The master diode laser is a 10 GHZ hybridly mode-locked two section InGaASP quantum well laser. The slave lasers are a 10 GHz two section laser which is similar to the master laser, and a 20 GHz three section colliding pulse mode-locking laser. Both the slave lasers were greatly stabilized at 10 GHz frequency by a synchronous mode-locking mechanism under the injection of master laser pulses.     

Different operation states of soliton pulses in an erbium-doped fibre ring laser

We report on the experimental observation of soliton pulses in an erbium doped fibre ring laser. The passive mode-locking is achieved using the nonlinear polarization rotation technique. By adjusting the pump power and the intracavity polarization controllers, a normal soliton, a stable 8th harmonic mode-locked pulse and a noise-like pulse have been observed in our laser. The experimental results revealed that the noise-like pulse is not suitable for the optical telecommunication, and in order to obtain the stable harmonic mode-locked soliton, a strong unstable CW laser field is necessary to mediate global soliton interaction. The formation mechanism of the harmonic mode-locked pulse has also been analysed.     

全光纤激光器自启动锁模特性的理论研究

分析了带非线性放大光纤环的全光纤激光器的自启动锁模特性，得到了计算该激光器中光脉冲的有效能量增益的理论模型．结果表明，激光器的自启动锁模同掺Ｅｒ３＋光纤的增益及纤芯的有效截面积有关，并计算了自启动锁模的阈值峰值功率大小．应用本文的理论模型能成功地解释观察到的实验现象．     

Mode-locking of diode laser-pumped solid-state lasers

Mode-locked diode-pumped solid state lasers have become important sources for efficient and reliable short pulse generation. We review techniques for active mode-locking of diode-pumped lasers, highlighting techniques which have produced much shorter pulse durations than previous technologies and extended operating repetition rates to the several gigahertz regime. To achieve even shorter pulse durations a series of nonlinear passive mode-locking techniques have been developed. Self-starting additive pulse mode-locking, resonant passive mode-locking and self-mode-locking of diode-pumped solid-state lasers are described.     

Observation of multipulse bunches in a graphene oxide passively mode-locked ytterbium-doped fiber laser with all-normal dispersion

We give a systematic experimental study of multipulse bunches in a graphene oxide saturable absorber (GOSA) passively mode-locked all-normal dispersion ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL). Some special phenomena such as harmonic multipulse bunches, harmonic mode-locking, and chaotic multipulse states are also obtained. Our experiment reveals that the inserted 2.5-nm narrow bandwidth filter plays an important role in the formation of multipulse in all-normal dispersion fiber lasers. Because of the effective gain bandwidth depends on both the 2.5-nm narrow bandwidth filter and the artificial fiber birefringence filter, the multipulse operation states are sensitive to the polarization. It is the first demonstration of multipulse evolution in a GOSA passively mode-locked all-normal dispersion YDFL.     

Passive Q-switching and mode-locking for the generation of nanosecond to femtosecond pulses

The passive and hybrid Q-switching and mode-locking of solid-state lasers, dye lasers, semiconductor lasers and gas lasers is reviewed. The dynamics of saturable absorbers and reverse saturable absorbers is illustrated. The nanosecond pulse generation by passive and hybrid Q-switching of low-gain active media is described. The picosecond and femtosecond pulse generation by passive and hybrid mode-locking in low-gain and high-gain active media is analysed. The performance data of passively and hybridly mode-locked cw femtosecond dye lasers are collected. The pulse shortening of ultra-fast pulses with saturable absorbers in intra-cavity and extra-cavity configurations is discussed.     

Simultaneous Q-switching and mode-locking in the CW Nd: YAG laser

The theory of transient mode-locking for an active modulator in a laser with a homogeneously broadened line is presented. The theory is applied to simultaneously Q-switched and mode-locked Nd:YAG lasers and good agreement between theory and experiment is obtained. The main conclusion is that under usual Q-switched operating conditions the mode-locking process does not have sufficient time to build up to steady-state conditions. We also present a method to overcome this problem by allowing the laser to prelase before the Q-switch is opened. Mode-locked pulses whose width approaches the steady-state value are obtained. The transient mode-locking theory presented here also applies to actively mode-locking TEA CO₂ lasers and to other types of simultaneously pulsed and mode-locked lasers.     

THEORETICAL STUDY OF SELF-STARTING MODE-LOCKED ALL-FIBER LASERS

In this paper, the self-startlng mode-locking characteristics of all-fiber lasers are in-vestigated theoretically. The mechanism of self-starting mode-locking is analyzed and the experimental phenomena are explained successfully by introducing effective energy gain. The modulation characteristics of all-fiber lasers and the effect of gain saturation on modulation characteristics are discussed by analyzing the transmissivity of Er-doped fiber loop. Finally, the dynamic processes of all-fiber self-starting mode-locked lasers are simulated numerically.     

Switchable mode-locking states in an all-fiber all-normal-dispersion ytterbium-doped laser

Multi-operation state in an all-normal-dispersion ytterbium-doped fiber laser is obtained by introducing nonlinear polarization or hybrid mode-locking mechanism in the laser cavity. In addition to operating the laser at continuous-wave mode-locking, various operation states including continuous-wave, Q-switched mode-locking, pulse-splitting, and harmonic mode-locking can be achieved by tuning the laser pump power or an intracavity polarization controller. Insertion of a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror in the cavity helps to shorten the output pulsewidth of the hybrid mode-locked laser. When the pump power is rapidly adjusted, a strong asymmetric hysteresis behavior can be observed during the manipulation between different orders of harmonic mode-locking.     

氧化石墨烯被动锁模掺镱光纤激光器多脉冲现象的实验研究

利用氧化石墨烯作为可饱和吸收体,在被动锁模全正常色散掺镱光纤激光器中研究了多脉冲的现象,在同一抽运功率不同偏振态下,实验获得了矩形脉冲谐波锁模、耗散孤子谐波锁模、准谐波锁模,脉冲峰值周期性调制,脉冲簇、脉冲束、混沌多重脉冲的多脉冲现象,插入激光腔内的2nm窄带滤波器具有限制增益带宽、对脉冲塑形、诱导多脉冲产生的作用,调节偏振控制器相当于改变腔内增益,是实现不同类型多脉冲现象的主要原因,本实验研究有利于加深对多脉冲动力学行为在正常色散区域氧化石墨烯锁模掺镱光纤激光器中的理解。     

Saturable absorber mode-locking and laser pulse compression

The theoretical predictions of two alternative models of saturable absorber mode-locking in dye lasers are compared. The predicted mode-locking and pulse compression regimes are considered for both flashlamp-pumped and cw dye lasers, and some questions raised thereby are tested by numerical simulation of pulse propagation.     

关于被动锁模激光器涨落模型的补充说明

本文考虑了在被动锁模涨落模型中涨落脉冲集合中的脉冲数目对锁模的影响,并研究了激光器腔长对于锁模窗口和锁模阈值的影响。 关键词：