Regenerative mode locking via superposition of higher-order cavity modes in composite cavity fiber lasers

We demonstrate a new method of optical pulse generation in regeneratively mode-locked fiber ring lasers (RML-FRLs). The method is based on generating dominant longitudinal modes in the fiber ring cavity by means of a composite cavity structure and their intermode beating at the photodetector incorporated in the regenerative feedback loop. The beat signal is then used as a modulation signal to generate optical pulses in a regenerative mode-locking scheme, thereby eliminating the requirement for a high-Q rf bandpass filter in a conventional RML-FRL. Optical pulses with a repetition frequency of 3.6 GHz have been generated successfully with a supermode noise suppression of more than 48 dB and a low phase noise of -85 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset from the carrier frequency.     

Performance study and assessment of phase noise suppression by incoherent addition in a mode-locked fiber laser system

This paper investigates the effectiveness of phase noise suppression by incoherent addition in a passively mode-locked fiber laser. Incoherent addition is achieved by using an interferometer external to the mode-locked laser. Two different types of interferometers, Mach–Zehnder and ring, are investigated experimentally for different background phase noise levels. Measurements show that both types of interferometers can achieve good phase noise reduction for a background phase noise level above ? 130 dBc/Hz. Effects of dispersion management and pulse train intensity ratio in the interferometers are also discussed. Multi-stage cascaded interferometers are proposed for supermode noise suppression of harmonically actively mode-locked lasers.     

Pump-to-Stokes transfer of relative intensity noise in Brillouin fiber ring lasers

We have experimentally investigated pump-to-Stokes intensity noise transfer in both the frequency domain and the time domain in all-fiber single-frequency Brillouin ring lasers. In the high-frequency region (>1MHz), the pump-to-Stokes noise transfer function can be much smaller than unity, indicating that the Brillouin fiber lasers act as an efficient low-pass filter. The maximum noise reduction of 40-60 dB was observed at antiresonant frequencies that are multiples of half the cavity free spectral range. This is the first experimental demonstration, to the authors' knowledge, of intensity noise reduction in Brillouin fiber lasers.     

Stable dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode ring erbium-doped fiber laser for optical generation of microwave frequency

We demonstrate a simple dual-wavelength ring erbium-doped fiber laser operating in single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) at room temperature. A pair of reflection type short-period fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs), which have two different center wavelengths of 1545.072 and 1545.284 nm, are used as the wavelength-selective component of the laser. A segment of unpumped polarization maintaining erbium-doped fiber (PM-EDF) is acted as a narrow multiband filter. By turning the polarization controller (PC) to enhance the polarization hole burning (PHB), the single-wavelength and dual-wavelength laser oscillations are observed at 1545.072 and 1545.284 nm. The output power variation is less than 0.6 dB for both wavelengths over a five-minute period and the optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) is greater than 50 dB. By beating the dual-wavelengths at a photodetector (PD), a microwave signal at 26.44 GHz is demonstrated.     

Intensity and frequency noise reduction of a Nd:YAG NPRO via pump light stabilisation

We have shown that pump light intensity stabilisation of a single-mode laser diode pumped Nd:YAG non-planar ring oscillator (NPRO) results in significant intensity noise reduction of the NPRO, as well as frequency noise suppression in the same order of magnitude. This effect does not occur in conventional laser diode array pumped NPROs due to mode beating effects originating in the multi-mode pump. As opposed to individual intensity and frequency stabilisation, pump light stabilisation contributes a simplified stabilisation scheme for single-mode laser diode pumped NPROs for high precision applications. PACS 42.55.Xi; 42.60.By; 42.60.Lh     

Single-frequency, single-polarization operation of tunable miniature erbium:ytterbium fiber Fabry-Perot lasers by use of self-injection locking

We demonstrate successful single-frequency, single-polarization operation of erbium:ytterbium fiber Fabry-Perot lasers with frequency- and polarization-selective optical feedback, using a fiber Bragg grating and a polarizer. Side-mode suppression greater than 60>dB and pure single-polarization operation were achieved.     

A Simple Configuration for Discontinuous Wavelength-tuning Optical Pulse Source

A simple configuration is proposed to perform wavelength switching in actively mode-locked fiber ring lasers, in which a sampled fiber Bragg grating and a tunable optical filter are cascaded in the ring cavity to exactly select the operating wavelength. The switching of four wavelengths with a spacing of 1.6 nm is obtained. The experimental results demonstrate that this technique is reliable and convenient.     

Timing Jitter in Amplitude Modulated Harmonically Mode-Locked Er-Doped Fiber Ring Lasers

The phase noise and the amplitude noise of optical pulses from the amplitude modulated harmonically mode-locked (AM-HML) Er-doped fiber (EDF) ring laser was investigated by measuring the power spectra of the optical pulses. The root mean square (RMS) timing jitter and the RMS amplitude noise are 1.26 ps and 2.5% (500 Hz-50 kHz), respectively, when the pulse repetition frequency is 1.58 GHz. They are smaller than those in conventional harmonically mode-locked EDF ring lasers.     

A Simple Configuration for Discontinuous Wavelength-tuning Optical Pulse Source

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Breaking the limit of maximum effective area for robust single-mode propagation in optical fibers

We propose and demonstrate a novel approach in optical fiber design in which the optical waveguide is formed by a ring of large air holes surrounding a solid silica core. With an appropriate choice of the geometrical configuration, robust single-transverse-mode propagation with a record effective area of 1417 microm2, verified by various methods, was demonstrated. A breakthrough was made toward the development of practical ultra-high-power fiber lasers as we observed negligible loss of the fiber at bending diameters as small as 15 cm.     

Stable RF transfer over a fiber-optic ring with DSBCS modulation and a DSB RF signal

We propose a radio frequency(RF)transfer technique with passive phase noise compensation over a fiber-optic ring.By adopting different frequencies and same wavelength transmission and double sideband(DSB)with carrier suppression(DSBCS)modulation,the impact of backscattering can be effectively suppressed.A stable RF signal can be obtained via frequency mixing at an arbitrary access site along the fiber-optic ring.As the two directional transmissions adopt the same fiber and same wavelength from the same laser,the bidirectional propagation symmetry can be maximally guaranteed.We experimentally demonstrate 2 GHz RF signal transfer along a 100 km standard single-mode fiber-optic ring.     

Theoretical analysis of feedback high birefringence fiber loop mirror for application in single-frequency fiber lasers

A feedback high birefringence fiber loop mirror with a piece of erbium-doped fiber and a polarization controller is newly proposed. When the erbium-doped fiber is properly pumped to offset the loss of the feedback ring in the loop mirror, narrowband transmission peaks with large effective free spectral range can be achieved by the intrinsic vernier effect between orthogonally polarized lights respectively traveling along the two primary axes of the high birefringence fiber. In addition, the side transmission suppression ratio can reach about 6 dB. These special properties are independent of the polarization state of the input signal, which makes it feasible for the proposed feedback high birefringence fiber loop mirror to be employed as a narrowband filter in single-frequency fiber lasers.     

基于公共环形腔耦合的光纤激光器相干合成技术

 为提高光纤激光器无源自调整相干合成阵列的效率、稳定性和可扩展性,提出了基于公共光纤环形腔耦合与单模光纤滤波的光纤激光器相干合成方案。将多个2×2的光纤耦合器分别插入各单元激光器的谐振腔,利用耦合器余下的端口,两两相连构成公共环形耦合腔。采用单模光纤滤波技术,提高了各输出激光束之间相位锁定的稳定性。利用该方案在实验上实现了三路光纤激光器的被动锁相输出,实验测得的远场干涉光斑、输出功率及光谱均表明该方案适于构建性能较好的光纤激光器相干合成阵列。     

Strong Brillouin suppression in a passive fiber ring resonator

We demonstrate the passive suppression of stimulated Brillouin scattering in meter-length fiber-ring cavities through careful control of the fiber length. Experimentally we are able to demonstrate an over sixty-times increase in the Brillouin threshold of a 0.4 m fiber ring. This very simple suppression technique greatly simplifies the design of optical parametric devices based on fiber-ring cavities.     

High birefringence fiber ring resonator with an inline reflector for single-frequency fiber lasers

A high birefringence fiber (HBF) ring resonator with an inline weak reflector is newly proposed to generate narrowband reflection peaks. When a linear polarizer is located at the input port, effective free spectral range (FSR) of the reflected linearly polarized light is dramatically enhanced in single physical ring setup due to the intrinsic vernier effect between the traveling orthogonally polarized lights along the fast and slow axes of the HBF. What’s more, the side reflectivity suppression ratio can reach 6 dB. To sum up, these special properties facilitate its application in single-frequency fiber lasers.     

Dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser for optical generation of tunable low-noise radio frequency/microwave frequency

We demonstrate a new approach, i.e., a cw dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser pumped by two independent single-frequency Er-doped fiber lasers, for the generation of tunable low-noise rf/microwave optical signals. Its inherent features of both linewidth narrowing effect in a Brillouin fiber cavity and common mode noise cancellation between two laser modes sharing a common cavity allow us to achieve high frequency stability without using a supercavity. Beat frequency of the dual-frequency Brillouin fiber laser can be tuned from tens of megahertz up to 100 GHz by thermally tuning the wavelengths of the two pump lasers with tuning sensitivity of approximately 1.4 GHz/ degrees C. Allan variance measurements show the beat signals have the hertz-level frequency stability.     

基于波长双环路结构的新型光电振荡器的研究

提出了一种新型的基于波长双环路结构的光电振荡器方案. 在此方案中, 利用两个激光器产生两束波长不同的连续光, 分别通过两段长度不同的光纤构成双环路结构, 利用光学游标效应可以获得单一的起振模式. 通过理论分析可知, 不同波长的两束光载波在耦合时, 几乎不会产生随机拍噪声. 实验中, 获得了X波段(8-12 GHz)内频率可调谐的高质量微波信号. 通过测量, 信号的边模抑制比达到60 dB, 相位噪声为-132.6 dBc/Hz@10 kHz. 同时, 利用锁相环技术, 通过光纤拉伸器有效补偿系统的腔长漂移, 因此振荡频率的稳定性得到极大改善. 系统的频率漂移在2 h内小于±84.3 mHz. 另外, 测得的微波线宽为5.3 mHz, Q值在10¹²量级, 具有很高的谱纯度.     

Polarization maintaining optical fiber multi-intruder sensor

In this paper, an optical fiber multi-intruder sensor based on polarization maintaining optical fiber (PMF), without any interferometric fiber loop, is introduced. To map the local coordinates of intruders on the beating spectrum of the output modes, radiation from a ramp frequency modulated laser is injected at the input of PMF optical fiber sensor. It is shown that the local coordinates and some characteristics of intruders can be obtained by the measurement of the frequencies and amplitudes of the output mode beating spectrum. Generally the number of beating frequencies is more than the number of intruders. Among the beating frequencies, a group with maximum signal to noise ratio is chosen. The short Fourier denoising method is employed to increase the sensor resolution. Because the output signal is the superposition of finite numbers of discrete frequencies this method is a powerful tool for denoising even for negative signal to noise ratio.     

包层泵浦的L波段Er3+/Yb3+共掺光纤激光器

报道了一种工作波长在L波段的包层泵浦Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺光纤环形激光器. 环形腔内的激光工作介质为一段9 m长的Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺高掺杂光纤. 利用6个976 nm LD同时抽运前段Er³⁺/Yb³⁺共掺双包层光纤产生的放大自发辐射谱作二次抽运源, 使腔内增义谱由C波段移到L波段, 实现了L波段光纤激光器的稳定输出; 采用包层泵浦技术, 在抽运功率为3594.5 mW时, 测得泵浦入纤功率为2731.8 mW, 实现了输出连续功率最大518.4 mW,斜率效率达到19% 的激光输出; 所形成激光的工作波长为1613.94 nm, 激光光谱的3 dB带宽为1.5 nm, 边模抑制比接近于50 dB.     

一种新型双环路光电振荡器

利用偏振分束器(PBS)和合束器(PBC)在不增加有源器件的基础上设计了一种双环路光电振荡器。该振荡器可以同时产生光、电两种输出。由于没有增加有源器件,可以避免附加电噪声的引入。此外,光载波在光域中是正交耦合,消除了随机干涉和拍噪声对振荡频率的影响。通过理论分析,双环结构的光电振荡器可以有效抑制每一单环路中起振的边模。经过实验对比,采用双环结构可以把边模抑制比提高30~70 dB。最后,利用该方案和普通商用器件得到了中心频率为12 GHz的振荡,测得边模抑制比为50~70 dB,相位噪声为-93 dBc/Hz at10kHz,Q值达到1010。