Semiconductor optical amplifier-based laser with 25 km long cavity length utilizing sagnac fiber ring structure

In the investigation, we propose and demonstrate a Sagnac ring based fiber laser structure using a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) to act as a gain medium with short to long fiber cavity lengths for wavelength lasing and tuning. Here, ten fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) with different reflected Bragg wave-lengths are used serving as the reflected element in the proposed laser configuration for wavelength lasing and remote sensing simultaneously. Furthermore, the different cavity fiber lengths of a few ten m to 25 km, which are used in the proposed laser scheme, has been analyzed and discussed.     

Temperature dependent characteristics of InAs/GaAs quantum dot laser grown by gas source molecular beam epitaxy

We report on the temperature dependent lasing characteristics of InAs/GaAs quantum dot lasers under continuous wave mode. The five-stacked InAs quantum dots were grown by gas-source molecular beam epitaxy with slightly different thickness. Ridge waveguide laser with stripe width of 6 μm was processed on the growth structure. The characteristic temperature was measured as high as infinity in the temperature range of 80–180 k. With the increase of injection current, the lasing spectra of laser diode broaden gradually at low temperature of 80 k. However, when the operation temperature increases from 80 to 300 K, the width of lasing spectrum reduces gradually from 40 to 2.0 nm. The lasing process is obviously different from that of a reference quantum well laser which widens its width of lasing spectra by increasing operation temperature. These experiments demonstrate that a carrier transfer from the smaller size of dots into larger dots caused by thermal effect play an important role in the lasing characteristic of quantum dot lasers. In addition, the laser can operate at maximum temperature of 80 °C under continuous wave mode with a maximum output power of 52 mW from one facet at 20 °C. A wavelength thermal coefficient of 0.196 nm/K is obtained, which is 2.8 times lower than that of QW laser. The low wavelength thermal coefficient of quantum dot laser is mainly attributed to its broad gain profile and state filling effects.     

Switchable triple-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser using a single fiber Bragg grating in polarization-maintaining fiber

A stable and narrow wavelength spacing multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser is proposed and demonstrated. The laser can produce simultaneous dual- and triple-wavelength lasing oscillations with a narrow wavelength spacing of less than 0.1 nm via using a single fiber Bragg gratings written in polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber. By adjusting polarization controller, the wavelength spacing of dual-wavelength lasing oscillations can be tuned to as small as 0.032 nm. The maximum amplitude variation for every lasing wavelength is less than 0.5 dB. The room-temperature operation principle is based on the polarization hole burning and deeply saturated effect in an ordinary erbium-doped fiber ring laser (EDFRL). The laser has the advantages of simple all-fiber configuration, low cost, high stability and operating at room temperature.     

A stable dual-wavelength fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing using a polarization-maintaining linear cavity

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a stable dual-wavelength erbium-doped polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing using an all-PM linear cavity that makes use of two reflection peaks from the PM fiber Bragg grating (PM-FBG). Experimental results show stable dual lasing lines with a wavelength separation of ∼0.22 nm and a large optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of over 40 dB under room temperature. By applying axial strain to the PM-FBG, the center wavelengths of the two lasing lines can be tuned over several nanometers and the wavelength separation between the lasing lines can also be tuned to as small as 0.05 nm, which, to our knowledge, is the smallest wavelength spacing ever obtained from a stable room-temperature dual-wavelength fiber laser. The proposed laser configuration has the advantages of simple structure, low loss, stable dual-wavelength operation and a very small lasing linewidth of ∼5 kHz . PACS 42.55.Wd; 42.81.-i; 42.81.Gs     

Widely tunable Raman ring laser using highly nonlinear fiber

An all-optical widely tunable Raman fiber laser has been realized by incorporating a highly nonlinear fiber in a ring cavity. By feedback a portion of Raman Stokes wave back into the highly nonlinear gain medium, a Raman fiber laser is generated. We found that the lasing wavelength of Raman fiber laser can be tuned from 1537 to 1568 nm with peak power fluctuation within 1 dB, giving a total wavelength tunability of 31 nm. The optical signal-to-noise ratio is found to be wavelength dependent, and the highest optical signal-to-noise ratio of about 59 dB is recorded. The lasing threshold of the Raman fiber laser with this configuration is found to be as low as 300 mW.     

Quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating sensor system based on a Fourier domain mode locking fiber laser

A novel quasi-distributed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system based on Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) fiber laser is proposed and demonstrated. The low reflectivity FBGs with the same Bragg wavelength are connected cascaded in a long fiber working as the sensing elements of the sensor system as well as the wavelength and cavity length selecting elements of the FDML laser. By adjusting the driving frequency of the FDML fiber laser, lasing with different selected cavity lengths will be achieved correspondingly. When the wavelength of the working FBG shifts which includes the sensing information, FBG interrogation can be realized both in wavelength and time domain.     

轴向隐失波激励的回音壁模式光纤激光器

采用轴向隐失波激励增益的方式,使激光增益区域局限在光纤回音壁模式的模场区域内,显著地降低了回音壁模式光纤激光辐射的抽运阈值,由此形成一种低阈值的回音壁模式光纤激光器.在微焦耳量级的低抽运能量条件下,用回音壁模式光纤激光器研究了激光染料的浓度效应.实验结果表明,随着激光染料浓度的增加,回音壁模式激光辐射的波长向长波方向移动,激光波长范围变宽.用回音壁模式染料激光的四能级模型得到激光上能级和所有能级上的分子数比值γ(λ)曲线后,很好地解释了实验结果.低抽运阈值的回音壁模式光纤激光器,为研究液体激光现象提供了极为便利的手段.     

Laser dye stability part 1. Flash frequency and fluid filtration effects

A commercial coaxial xenon flashlamp was used to measure laser dye stability. The output energy of each lasing pulse was recorded and periodic measurements were made of the untuned lasing wavelength, the temporal flashlamp output, and the temporal lasing output. The present study demonstrates that it is possible to have a number of different types of apparent dye laser system “half-lifes” through the use of filtration and frequency of flash parameters. The use of near-zero flash frequency and moderate pore size filters allows a determination of the lifetime that is more representative of the dye as opposed to the lifetime of the dye laser system.     

Low-temperature characteristics of two-color InAs/InP quantum dots laser

We report on the lasing characteristics of a two-color InAs/InP quantum dots(QDs)laser at a low tem-perature.Two lasing peaks with a tunable gap are simultaneously observed.At a low temperature of 80 K,a tunable range greater than a 20-nm wavelength is demonstrated by varying the injection current from 30 to 500 mA.Under a special condition,we even observe three lasing peaks,which are in contrast to those observed at room temperature.The temperature coefficient of the lasing wavelength was obtained for the two colors in the 80?280 K temperature range,which is lower than that of the reference quantum well(QW)laser working in the same wavelength region.     

Electrically pumped edge-emitting photonic crystal lasers with angled facets

We demonstrate electrically pumped large-area edge-emitting InGaAsP/InP two-dimensional photonic crystal lasers with angled facets at room temperature. The laser uses a weak index perturbation surface photonic crystal structure to control optical modes in the wafer plane. Measurements of the laser spectra show that the modal selection is due to satisfying the Bragg resonance conditions in both the longitudinal and the transverse directions. The lasing wavelength is tuned lithographically by changing photonic crystal lattice constants. We demonstrate a fine lasing wavelength tuning sensitivity (change of lasing wavelength over change of lattice constant) of 0.08 through the transverse lattice constant tuning.     

梳状电极胆甾相液晶激光器的激光辐射谱

设计制作了梳状电极染料掺杂胆甾相液晶激光器件,研究了外加电压下的激光辐射谱。器件的下基板ITO电极刻蚀成梳状条形电极,电极宽度约2 mm,相邻电极间距分别约为1,3,5 mm。上基板无ITO电极。上下基板取向膜平行摩擦取向处理,使胆甾相液晶平面态排列。以532 nm的Nd∶YAG激光器作为泵浦光源,测量器件激光辐射谱。改变外加电压0~100 V,3个区域均出现了多模输出。在1 mm电极间距区域,可获得633.65~621.52 nm（12 nm）和683.15~664.35 nm（18 nm）的可调谐波长范围;在电极间距3,5 mm区域,辐射激光波长变化微小。在外加电压作用下,液晶分子均匀的螺旋周期排列受到扰动,液晶分子层螺旋轴倾斜,各个液晶畴的螺旋轴取向不一致,使有效螺距值缩短并有所浮动,引起出射激光波长蓝移和多模输出。利用光子态密度理论数值模拟了激光辐射谱。当有效螺距为倾斜角的函数时,随着倾斜角增大出射激光波长蓝移。     

微腔激光器速率方程分析

推出了至少有一维尺寸在发射波长量级的微腔激光器的光输出特性，首次得到了无辐射衰减速率不等于零时速率方程的角析解。结果表明，微腔激光器自发发射到腔模的较高的合效率使激发特性和传统的激光器有很大的不同。     

Wavelength-tunable organic solid-state distributed-feedback laser

We report on a wavelength-tunable organic solid-state laser based on a second-order distributed-feedback (DFB) resonator design with the guest–host system Alq₃:DCM2 as the gain medium. The laser wavelength can be shifted from 608.9 to 646.5 nm by varying the grating period of the Bragg reflector. This allows the characterization of laser parameters for a large wavelength region on a single sample. The laser threshold and output characteristics are measured for different laser wavelengths. A minimum threshold for laser activity occurs at a lasing wavelength of 633 nm, giving the spectral position of the gain maximum. PACS 42.70.Jk; 78.45.+h; 78.66.Qn     

Tunable single-frequency CW Cr<Superscript>2+</Superscript>:CdSe laser

Continuous tuning of the lasing wavelength from 2350 to 3450 nm in the cw Cr²⁺:CdSe laser is demonstrated. It is shown that the laser efficiently operates at a wavelength of 3.28 μm, which is promising for the methane optical frequency standard. The single-frequency mode of the laser with a lasing linewidth not exceeding 60 MHz is implemented in this spectral range.     

宽范围可调谐内腔液晶垂直腔面发射激光器设计与研究

为增加可调谐激光器的波长调谐范围,提高系统的可靠性和稳定性,基于液晶的电控双折射特性,设计了一种中心波长为852 nm的内腔液晶可调谐垂直腔面发射激光器结构。分析了该结构获得宽范围波长调谐和单偏振稳定输出的物理原理,利用传输矩阵法进一步计算整个器件下不同液晶层厚度所对应的反射谱,得出不同液晶厚度和折射率下激光器的激射波长。结果表明,液晶可调谐激光器单偏振波长调谐范围达到31 nm,调谐效率大于10 nm/V。     

基于钠硼铝硅酸盐玻璃的PbSe量子点红外单模光纤激光

根据实验制备的钠硼铝硅酸盐PbSe量子点玻璃及其透射电子显微镜(TEM)图、吸收谱和发射谱,计算机数值模拟了以PbSe量子点作为激活增益介质的红外单模光纤激光。应用遗传算法,通过数值求解粒子数速率方程和激光谐振腔振荡方程,优化计算了量子点光纤激光器(QDFL)的最佳抽运波长、光纤长度、掺杂浓度及出射镜反射率。结果表明:饱和抽运功率为2 W,在1676nm激光波长处,QDFL最大输出功率可达1.36 W,抽运效率达68%。与通常的掺稀土离子(Yb3+、Er3+)的光纤激光器相比,QDFL具有抽运效率高、激励阈值低、掺杂密度可调、光纤饱和长度短等特点。由于量子点辐射波长的尺寸依赖特性,容易形成多波长激射或波长可调的新型激光器。     

Fourier domain mode locking pulse fiber laser

A novel pulse fiber laser is proposed based on the modulation of the lasing wavelength. Different from conventional amplitude or phase modulated mode-locking fiber lasers, the proposed fiber laser is with a so-called Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) operation (i.e., the cavity round-trip time of the optical pulse should match the period that the open time window of the tunable filter appears for the lasing wavelength or its harmonics). An FDML pulse fiber laser with a cavity round-trip frequency of 19.46 kHz is demonstrated and optical pulses with repetition rate of 19.46 kHz are achieved when the wavelength modulation frequency is 9.73 kHz.     

光纤激光器中激光波长相对于光纤光栅反射中心的偏移

在用光纤布拉格光栅作为反射器的掺镱光纤激光器的输出光谱中发现激光波长相对于光纤光栅反射中心偏移的现象，偏移量相当于光纤光栅反射带宽的一半。通过实验证明偏移现象与光纤光栅的反射特性和热效应无关，并且在不同的温度和不同的光纤光栅反射波长的情况下都得到了同样的结果。采用激光增益线形的有关理论，对这一现象进行了分析，实验结果与理论分析相一致。     

Novel discretely tunable narrow linewidth fiber laser with uniform wavelength spacing

A novel configuration of the tunable fiber laser with uniform wavelength spacing in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) application is proposed. The ring type tunable fiber laser consists of an all-fiber comb filter which determines the wavelength spacing, and a piece of adjustable fiber grating to select the discrete lasing wavelength for WDM application. The proposed all-fiber ring type tunable laser has potential application in the DWDM and other optical systems due to its advantages such as narrow linewidth, easy tuning, uniform wavelength interval, etc..     

Transition of lasing modes in disordered active photonic crystals

The transition from a photonic band-edge laser to a random laser in two-dimensional active photonic crystals is described. The lasing modes in the active photonic crystals shift from the edge of the photonic bandgap to the bulk of the gap when a certain amount of position and size disorder is introduced. The shift of lasing modes is determined with various gain profiles. The results show that the modulation of lasing modes is significant when the lasing transition wavelength overlaps the photonic bandgap.