Switchable Q-switched and mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser operating in the L-band region

We demonstrate a switchable Q-switched and mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) operating in the L-band region using the nonlinear polarization rotation effect. The switching operation is achieved by controlling intensity-dependent loss using a polarization controller. In Q-switching mode, the EDFL produces a pulse train with a repetition rate of 21.1 kHz, pulse width of 7.7 μs, and pulse energy of 13.6 nJ. The EDFL also generates a multi-wavelength comb with a very narrow and constant wavelength spacing of 0.045 nm and optical signal-to-noise ratio of at least 10 dB. During mode locking, the EDFL produces stretched pulses with 3-dB bandwidth of 26.2 nm, pulse width of 350 fs, repetition rate of 2.38 MHz, and pulse energy of 48.56 pJ.     

Wavelength tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser operating in L-band

We describe a novel erbium-doped fiber ring laser utilizing the backward amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) power as a secondary pump source so that it can operate in L-band stably. The output wavelength can be tuned in a wide range of 45 nm, from 1560 to 1605 nm. We also compared this scheme with the condition of not using the ASE as secondary pump source, and found this scheme could improve the performance of the laser when using the same components.     

Switchable and tunable dual-wavelength ultrashort pulse generation in a passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser

A simple switchable and tunable dual-wavelength passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser based on nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) effect is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The NPR effect effectively induces wavelength- and intensity-dependent loss to readily implement stable dual-wavelength passively mode-locked operation. The wavelength switching and tuning of the dual-wavelength ultrashort pulse laser are achieved only by appropriately rotating the polarization controllers. The side-mode suppression ratio of the output pulse is larger than 41 dB over a wavelength-tuning range of 43.4 nm. Moreover, triple-wavelength ultrashort pulse can also be observed.     

Figure-eight actively-passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser

The advantages of using nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) to compress pulse with slight amplitude fluctuation and reflected energy loss are analyzed in theory. Experimentally the NOLM is placed in an actively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser to form a figure-eight actively and passively mode-locked fiber laser. 12 ps mode-locked pulses centered at 1.543 μm were obtained with the modulation frequency of 2.498748700 GHz. 3.715 mW output power is achieved with 50 mW pump power.     

高重复频率全光纤被动锁模掺铒光纤激光器

报道了一种高重复频率全光纤非线性偏振旋转锁模掺铒光纤激光器, 获得了重复频率217 MHz的锁模脉冲输出. 该激光器使用一个偏振相关隔离器和一个偏振控制器即可获得稳定的锁模脉冲输出, 结构简单, 系统稳定. 激光器锁模脉冲的脉冲宽度为69 fs, 3 dB光谱宽度为56 nm, 射频频谱信噪比为76 dB.     

Graphene-based passively Q-switched dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser

We demonstrate a compact Q-switched dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser based on graphene as a saturable absorber (SA). By optically driven deposition of graphene on a fiber core, the SA is constructed and inserted into a diode-pumped EDF laser cavity. Also benefiting from the strong third-order optical nonlinearity of graphene to suppress the mode competition of EDF, a stable dual-wavelength Q-switching operation has been achieved using a two-reflection peak fiber Bragg grating as the external cavity mirror. The Q-switched EDF laser has a low pump threshold of 6.5 mW at 974 nm and a wide range of pulse-repetition rate from 3.3 to 65.9 kHz. The pulse duration and the pulse energy have been characterized. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first demonstration of a graphene-based Q-switched laser.     

L-band erbium-doped fiber laser with polarization-maintaining ring cavity

A new, simple and efficient L-band erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser with polarization-maintaining ring cavity is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The laser offers the unique advantage of being a polarization-maintaining lasing, which meets the requirement of external electronic-optical intensity modulation for DWDM communication and interferometric fiber sensors. Theory has been established. Experimental results are given to show that the laser has long-term stability over a couple of hours with 35 dB signal-to-noise ratio at 1598.644 nm and tunable from 1572.167 to 1608.480 nm.     

Full L-band coverage of multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a dual-pass unbalanced in-line Sagnac interferometer as a novel comb filter for implements in erbium-doped fiber lasers to obtain wide wavebands of multiwavelength radiations with enhancements of signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The hybrid combinations of the comb filter with the two schemes of nonlinear polarization rotation and intensity dependent loss have successfully not only enlarged the lasing bandwidth up to 47 nm but also enhanced the SNR up to 40 dB. The simultaneous lasing-wavelengths of 117 channels are also obtained. The multiwavelength lasing spectra with free spectral range of 0.4 nm covering the full L-band are useful for the applications of DWDM and WDM-PON systems.     

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%.     

Rational harmonic figure-eight actively-passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser

The nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM) is used as a saturable absorbed to reshape pulses. Experimentally, an actively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber ring laser with figure-eight structure is set up. 2 - 4 order harmonic pulse train with stable amplitude has been obtained when the RF modulation frequency is about 2.5 GHz.     

Passively Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser based on gold nanorods

We have demonstrated that the gold nanorods (GNRs) can be used as effective saturable absorbers for passively Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL). Two types of GNRs were synthesized by a seed-mediated growth method. The longitudinal surface plasmon resonance wavelengths of the GNRs with different aspect ratios were around 1068 and 1442 nm, respectively. The GNRs were mixed with sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) to form GNRs-NaCMC films with different absorption wavelengths. Using these GNRs-NaCMC films, 9.6-μs pulses with a repetition rate of ∼22.9 kHz and 10.4-μs pulses with a repetition rate of ∼22.4 kHz were obtained from the passively Q-switched EDFLs at a pump power of ∼120 mW, respectively.     

High-power MoTe_2-based passively Q-switched erbium-doped fiber laser

Materials in the transition metal dichalcogenide family, including WS_2, MoS_2, WSe_2, and MoSe_2, etc., have captured a substantial amount of attention due to their remarkable nonlinearities and optoelectronic properties.Compared with WS_2 and MoS_2, the monolayered MoTe_2 owns a smaller direct bandgap of 1.1 eV. It is beneficial for the applications in broadband absorption. In this letter, using the magnetron sputtering technique, MoTe_2 is deposited on the surface of the tapered fiber to be assembled into the saturable absorber. We first implement the MoTe_2-based Q-switched fiber laser operating at the wavelength of 1559 nm. The minimum pulse duration and signal-to-noise ratio are 677 ns and 63 dB, respectively. Moreover, the output power of 25 mW is impressive compared with previous work. We believe that MoTe_2 is a promising 2D material for ultrafast photonic devices in the high-power Q-switched fiber lasers.     

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.     

Switchable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on a four-mode FBG

We propose a switchable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser based on a four-mode fiber Bragg grating(FBG). The four-mode FBG is fabricated in a hydrogen pre-loaded fiber by the phase mask method, which can support four linearly polarized modes around 1550 nm. The five operation wavelengths are at 1547.5, 1546.8,1546.0, 1545.1, and 1544.2 nm, respectively. Through adjusting the polarization state and the lateral offset coupling in cavity, the laser can be switched into the operation state of single, dual, or triple wavelengths. The proposed laser has the advantages of simple configuration, stable operation, and easy adjustment.     

基于FLM的L波段双波长EDFL的双稳态变换

提出和验证了一种L波段双波长掺铒光纤激光器(EDFL)双稳态控制变换和双波长开关切换的方法.将偏振控制器(PC)插入基于3 dB光纤耦合器的光纤环镜(FLM)中，并将该FLM用作L波段双波长级联线形耦合腔EDFL的公共腔镜，结果表明，调节PC可以改变FLM的反射率，实现对EDFL双稳态特性的有效控制，且双稳态特性随FLM反射率呈单调变化.利用这一性质，提出并证实，对于处在FLM最大反射率对应的双稳态第一跃变点和最小反射率对应的双稳态第二跃变点之间的任意固定抽运光功率，调节PC可实现两个稳态之间的相互变换和双波长之间的相互切换.     

氧化石墨烯被动调Q掺铒光纤激光器

报道了基于氧化石墨烯的被动调Q掺铒光纤激光器。激光器采用环形腔结构,调Q器件为自制的氧化石墨烯可饱和吸收镜。泵浦功率在81~505 mW范围内时,得到了重复频率68~124 kHz的稳定的调Q脉冲输出,脉宽为0.47~1.60 s。由于泵浦功率限制,激光器最大输出功率为10 mW, 相应单脉冲能量为80.6 nJ。此种基于氧化石墨烯可饱和吸收体的被动调Q光纤激光器体积小、成本低廉、结构简单、稳定性高、光束质量高,具有广阔的应用前景。     

Bismuth-based erbium-doped fiber as a gain medium for L-band amplification and Brillouin fiber laser

Bismuth-based erbium-doped fiber (Bi-EDF) is demonstrated as an alternative medium for optical amplification and nonlinear applications. The bismuth glass host provides the opportunity to be doped heavily with erbium ions to allow a compact optical amplifier design. The bismuth-based erbium-doped fiber amplifier (Bi-EDFA) is demonstrated to operate at wavelength region from 1570 to 1620 nm using only a 215 cm long of gain medium. The maximum gain of 15.8 dB is obtained at signal wavelength of 1610 nm with the corresponding noise figure of about 6.3 dB. A multi-wavelength laser comb is also demonstrated using a stimulated Brillouin scattering in the 215 cm long Bi-EDF assisted by the 1480 nm pumping. The laser generates more than 40 lines of optical comb with a line spacing of approximately 0.08 at 1612.5 nm region using 152 mW of 1480 nm pump power.     

石墨烯可调谐被动调Q掺铒光纤激光器

基于光学沉积方法,制备了石墨烯可饱和吸收体,并利用此可饱和吸收体搭建了环形腔结构的被动调Q掺铒光纤激光器,实现了稳定的调Q激光脉冲输出,其重复频率为5.1~14.2 kHz,最窄激光脉冲宽度为8 s,最大平均功率为162.3 W,且通过调节偏振控制器,中心波长在1556~1558 nm可调。     

High-energy single-transverse-mode Q-switched fiber laser based on a multimode large-mode-area erbium-doped fiber

We demonstrate that appropriately designed doped multimode fibers provide robust single-mode output when used within a fiber laser cavity. Using a novel large-mode-area fiber, we demonstrate what we believe to be record single-mode (M(2) <1.2) pulse energies of >0.5 mJ from a Q -switched fiber laser and even higher pulse energies (as high as 0.85 mJ) with slightly compromised spatial-mode quality (M(2)<2.0) . This approach offers significant scope for extending the range of single-mode output powers and energies that are achievable from fiber-laser-amplifier systems.     

Switchable quadruple-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser based on two-segment Lyot-Sagnac filter

We propose and demonstrate a novel switchable quadruple-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser (EDFL) based on two-segment Lyot-Sagnac filter which is used as the wavelength-selective filter. Due to the deeply saturated spectral hole-burning (SHB) effect in an ordinary erbium-doped fiber, the laser realizes stable single-wavelength, dual-wavelength, triple-wavelength, and quadruple-wavelength output by controlling two polarization controllers (PCs) appropriately. The optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) is over 30 dB. The peak fluctuation is less than ~2 dB over 1.5 h at room temperature.