Random distributed feedback fibre lasers

The concept of random lasers exploiting multiple scattering of photons in an amplifying disordered medium in order to generate coherent light without a traditional laser resonator has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. This research area lies at the interface of the fundamental theory of disordered systems and laser science. The idea was originally proposed in the context of astrophysics in the 1960s by V.S. Letokhov, who studied scattering with “negative absorption” of the interstellar molecular clouds. Research on random lasers has since developed into a mature experimental and theoretical field. A simple design of such lasers would be promising for potential applications. However, in traditional random lasers the properties of the output radiation are typically characterized by complex features in the spatial, spectral and time domains, making them less attractive than standard laser systems in terms of practical applications. Recently, an interesting and novel type of one-dimensional random laser that operates in a conventional telecommunication fibre without any pre-designed resonator mirrors–random distributed feedback fibre laser–was demonstrated. The positive feedback required for laser generation in random fibre lasers is provided by the Rayleigh scattering from the inhomogeneities of the refractive index that are naturally present in silica glass. In the proposed laser concept, the randomly backscattered light is amplified through the Raman effect, providing distributed gain over distances up to 100 km. Although an effective reflection due to the Rayleigh scattering is extremely small (∼0.1%), the lasing threshold may be exceeded when a sufficiently large distributed Raman gain is provided. Such a random distributed feedback fibre laser has a number of interesting and attractive features. The fibre waveguide geometry provides transverse confinement, and effectively one-dimensional random distributed feedback leads to the generation of a stationary near-Gaussian beam with a narrow spectrum. A random distributed feedback fibre laser has efficiency and performance that are comparable to and even exceed those of similar conventional fibre lasers. The key features of the generated radiation of random distributed feedback fibre lasers include: a stationary narrow-band continuous modeless spectrum that is free of mode competition, nonlinear power broadening, and an output beam with a Gaussian profile in the fundamental transverse mode (generated both in single mode and multi-mode fibres).     

Onset of instabilities in self-pulsing semiconductor lasers with delayed feedback

We consider the deterministic dynamics of a semiconductor laser with saturable absorber that is subject to delayed optical feedback. Alone, both the saturable absorber and delayed feedback cause the CW output to become unstable to periodic output via Hopf bifurcations. We examine the combined effects of these two destabilizing mechanisms to determine new conditions for the Hopf bifurcations. We also describe the transient as the unstable CW output evolves to the oscillatory state. A main result is that the presence of a saturable absorber can increase the sensitivity of the laser to delayed feedback. Received 1st August 2001 and Received in final form 28 November 2001     

大功率分布反馈激光器中光栅优化及试验

对于分布反馈激光器来说，光栅的耦合系数是一个重要参数. 利用改进的耦合波理论计算了具体器件结构中光栅形貌对二级光栅耦合系数的影响. 在此基础上制作的器件功率达到了单面50 mW，边模抑制比为36 dB. 关键词： DFB激光器 耦合波理论 二级光栅 边模抑制比     

Mode beating in spot-size converter lasers

An anomalous modulation in the wavelength spectrum has been observed in lasers with spot-size converters. This intensity modulation is shown to be caused by beating between the fundamental lasing mode and radiation modes in the taper. This results in a periodic modulation in the net gain spectrum, which causes wavelength jumps between adjacent net gain maxima, and a drive current dependent spectral width that is expected to affect system performance. The amplitude of this spectral modulation is reduced significantly by either using an angled rear-facet which reflects the beating radiation modes away from the laser axis, or by using a nonlinear, adiabatic taper.     

Black phosphorus saturable absorber for ultrafast mode‐locked pulse laser via evanescent field interaction

Black phosphorus, or BP, has found a lot of applications in recent years including photonics. The most recent studies have shown that the material has an excellent optical nonlinearity useful in many areas, one of which is in saturable absorption for passive mode‐locking. A direct interaction scheme for mode‐locking, however, has a potential to optically cause permanent damage to the already delicate material. Evanescent field interaction scheme has already been proven to be a useful method to prevent such danger for other 2‐dimensional nanomaterials. In this report, we have utilized the evanescent field interaction to demonstrate that the optical nonlinear characteristics of BP is sufficiently strong to use in such an indirect interaction method. The successful demonstration of the passive mode‐locking operation has generated pulses with the pulse duration, repetition rate, and time bandwidth product of 2.18 ps, 15.59 MHz, and 0.336, respectively.     

An all-polarization-maintaining repetition-tunable erbium-doped passively mode-locked fiber laser

An environmentally stable, repetition rate tunable, all-polarization-maintaining, Er-doped pulse fiber laser with a single-wall carbon nanotubes saturated absorber is demonstrated. The ring laser cavity includes a delay line enabling a tunable repetition rate to vary from 35.52 MHz to 35.64 MHz with continuous mode-locked operation. The laser output parameters confirm that the tunable mode-locked operations are stable. High environmental stability is also confirmed by the -130 dBc/Hz low phase noise, a 70-dB signal-to-noise ratio of radio frequency signals, a low amplitude fluctuation of 5.76 × 10-4, and a low fluctuation of reoetition rate of 12 Hz. The laser shows a high de~ree of oolarization of 93%.     

Self-pulsation in broad area lasers with transverse-mode selective feedback

The influence of the feedback strength on the output intensity dynamics of anti-reflection coated broad area lasers in a Fourier-optical transverse-mode selective external 4f-setup is investigated numerically and experimentally. At certain pump current conditions the broad area laser (BAL) is operating in a repetitive self-Q-switching mode emitting 1-3 ns pulses at repetition rates of 200-500 MHz. Moreover the influence of longitudinal mode conditions on the BAL’s output dynamics is investigated.     

注入噪声对光纤激光器锁模启动的影响

 从掺镱光纤激光器腔内的激光场出发,讨论了掺镱光纤激光器腔内的噪声信号对锁模启动的影响,并针对我们设计的8字腔超短脉冲光纤激光器进行了研究。通过对激光器腔内锁模过程的分析发现：在泵浦功率为214.75 mW时,自行研制的8字形腔掺Yb³⁺光纤激光器在未注入噪声信号时,输出端在30～50 s内获得稳定的锁模脉冲激光输出;在腔内注入脉宽30 ns,频率10 kHz,平均功率0.2 mW的脉冲噪声后,输出端在1~2 s内获得同样稳定的锁模脉冲激光输出。实验结果表明,注入激光器谐振腔内一定的噪声信号,可加速锁模的启动。     

Polymer gratings based on photopolymerization for low-order distributed feedback polymer lasers

Novel polymer distributed feedback(DFB)gratings are fabricated based on photopolymerization to reduce lasing threshold of polymer lasers.A photopolymer formulation sensitive to 355-nm ultraviolet(UV)light is proposed for the fabrication of polymer gratings and it can be used to form polymer films by spin-coating process.A very low surface-relief depth ranging from 12.5 to about 1.0 nm has been demonstrated with a refractive-index modulation of about 0.012.The experimental results indicate that such polymer gratings have promising potentials for the fabrication of low-order DFB organic semiconductor lasers.     

Oxide aperture scaling effect on high-speed (>16 GHz) vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers performance

High-speed, oxide-confined, polyimide-planarized 850 nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with oxide aperture diameters of 9, 10, 12, 15, 20, and 30 μm have been fabricated and characterized. For a 9 μm oxide aperture diameter, the lasers exhibit a resonance frequency, a 3-dB modulation frequency, and a modulation current efficiency factor (MCEF) up to 12.4, 16.5 GHz, and 10.9 GHz/mA^1/2, respectively, at only 7.9 kA/cm². Threshold voltage and current were 1.45 V and 0.7 mA, respectively. It is demonstrated that increasing the resonance frequency with bias does not guarantee a higher modulation bandwidth. The influence of oxide aperture scaling effect on VCSEL performance is presented.     

Thermal lensing of diode side-pumped solid-state lasers

The pump energy distribution in a diode side-pumped solid-state laser, is an overlap of propagating Gaussian beams. A simple model has been developed to calculate the thermal focal length of a diode side-pumped solid-state laser, which is based on a thermal model with a Gaussian heat density in any cross section of a laser rod. It can be seen that as the waists of pump beams increase, the energy distribution tends to be uniform and the thermal focal length tends to be long, which means a smaller thermal focusing.     

SESAM‐free mode‐locked semiconductor disk laser

Experimental demonstration of semiconductor saturable absorber‐free mode‐locked optically pumped semiconductor disk laser is presented. The origin of pulsed operation is attributed to the intensity dependent Kerr lens effect arising in the semiconductor gain medium. Achieved results represent a novel method to mode‐lock this type of laser opening new application opportunities. The laser worked stably in both hard and soft aperture configurations. No semiconductor saturable absorber was used in the laser cavity and the operation was self‐starting. The laser was mode‐locked at 210 MHz repetition rate with 1.5 W average output power and 930 fs pulse width at 985 nm. A record high 6.8 kW peak power was achieved. Measured data is presented along with a discussion of the Kerr lens effect in the cavity.     

Photonic microwave generation and transmission using direct modulation of stably injection-locked semiconductor lasers

Direct modulation of a semiconductor laser subject to stable injection locking is capable of generating microwave subcarriers that are broadly frequency-tunable, more than 4 times its free-running relaxation resonance frequency, and are highly sideband-asymmetric, more than 22 dB. The latter characteristic makes the laser system particularly attractive for radio-over-fiber applications. Therefore, such modulation sideband asymmetry, its underlying mechanism, and its effect on chromatic dispersion-induced microwave power variation are extensively studied, in particular, over a broad range of injection conditions. Mappings showing integrated and global understandings of the modulation sideband asymmetry together with the modulation frequency enhancement are obtained accordingly. Interestingly, it is found that the microwave frequency can be tuned over a broad range while keeping a similar level of modulation sideband asymmetry and vice versa, either of which is achieved by simply changing the injection condition. This, therefore, considerably adds the flexibility and re-configurability to the laser system. The cavity resonance shift due to injection locking is responsible for not only the enhanced modulation frequency but also the modulation sideband asymmetry, where a modification in its previous interpretation is obtained for explanation. The modified modulation characteristics are strong functions of the linewidth enhancement factor, making it possible to choose lasers with proper values of the factor for different photonic microwave characteristics.     

半盲反卷积重构大气瑞利—米散射高分辨谱

详细讨论子在获取大气瑞处－米散射谱中，反卷积技术适用的条件，遇到的困难和采取的算法，以及为什么在信噪比为２０这一松弛条件下能重构出原线型。还讨论了用低分辨光谱分析元件获取高分辨光谱的可行性和途径。     

包含两个半导体光放大器的锁模光纤环形激光器数值研究

采用自再现理论,对一种包含两个半导体光放大器的锁模光纤环形激光器进行了数值研究.研究结果表明：为了提高谐波锁模输出脉冲的质量,调制半导体光放大器应当保持高直流偏置,对自发辐射信号进行调制并提供锁模脉冲克服腔损耗所需的增益,而此时的增益半导体光放大器则被低直流偏置充当增益补偿器维持较窄的净增益窗口;与之相反,为了获得振幅均衡的有理数谐波锁模输出脉冲,调制半导体光放大器则应当偏置在较低的电流上,而增益半导体光放大器应当保持较高的偏置电流以提供足够的常量增益克服腔损耗.此外,还必须提高注入光信号的峰值功率.     

10 GHz,9 ps Pulses Generation from an Actively Mode-locked Fiber Ring Laser

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Mode hopping in single-mode microchip Nd：YAG lasers induced by optical feedback

The mode hopping phenomenon induced by optical feedback in single-mode microchip Nd：YAG lasers is presented. With optical feedback, mode hopping strongly depends on two factors： the ratio of external cavity length to intra-cavity length, and initial gains of the two hopping modes, When external cavity length equals an integral multiple of intracavity length, there is almost no mode hopping. However, if the external cavity length does not equal an integral multiple of intra-cavity length, mode hopping occurs. The ratio of external cavity length to intra-cavity length determines the position of two-mode hopping, The initial gains of the two hopping modes determine the corresponding peak values and oscillating periods of them in the intensity modulation curves.     

Analytical and experimental studies on the diode-pumped,simultaneously Q-switched and mode-locked c-cut Nd:GdVO<Subscript> 4</Subscript>/KTP green laser with LT-GaAs absorber

A diode-pumped passively Q-switched mode-locked (QML) intracavity frequency doubled c-cut Nd:GdVO₄/KTP green laser with a LT-GaAs saturable absorber is presented. More than 90% modulation depth for the mode-locked green pulses has been achieved. Using the hyperbolic secant function methods, a developed rate equation model for Q-switched and mode-locked lasers considering the Gaussian spatial distribution of the intracavity photon intensity, the influences of continuous pump rate, the upper state lifetime of the active medium, and the excited-state lifetime of the saturable absorber, was proposed. With this developed model, the theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental results and the width of the mode-locked green pulse was estimated to be about 380 ps.     

Q‐switched and modelocked all‐fiber lasers based on advanced acousto‐optic devices

The interest in all‐fiber lasers is stimulated by the inherent advantages they have over bulk lasers in aspects such as heat dissipation and robustness. The performance of Q‐switched and modelocked fiber lasers can benefit enormously from the development of all‐fiber configurations. A fiber laser with strictly all‐fiber components can fulfil the requirements of mechanical stability, low maintenance, enhanced power efficiency, simplified assembly process, and low cost. In this framework, recent developments infiber acousto‐optic devices are reviewed that have demonstrated new possibilities for actively Q‐switched distributed feedback fiber lasers, modelocking lasers and doubly active Q‐switched modelocked lasers. The aim is to demonstrate the great potential of infiber devices for the active control of different types of fiber lasers.