Ultrafast pulse sources based on multi-mode optical fibers

Ultrafast pulse sources based on multi-mode optical fibers are discussed. High-power passively mode-locked fiber lasers based on multi-mode rare-earth-doped optical fibers greatly exceed the power limitations of single-mode oscillators. Ultrafast multi-mode fiber amplifiers operating in conjunction with multi-mode oscillators provide even higher power levels, where nonlinear propagation effects enable pulse compression to below 100 fs. Multi-mode fiber oscillators can be combined with single-mode Raman-shifting fibers to produce widely wavelength-tunable sources of femtosecond pulses. Further amplification in Yb fibers allows for the generation of sub-100-fs pulses with W-level average powers.     

Yb：Er共掺杂对掺铒光纤激光器中自脉冲行为的抑制作用

为了进一步提高镱铒共掺杂光纤激光器的实用性，对镱铒掺杂光纤激光器的自脉冲现象进行了理论分析。利用掺杂光纤中铒离子对的可饱和吸收的作用而引起自脉冲运转及离子对互作用模型作为理论基础建立系统模型，通过理论计算分析了共掺杂镱后掺铒光纤的有效抽运速率，证明了镱铒共掺杂可以提高有效抽运速率。使用这种光纤，可以使抑制光纤激光器中离子对导致的自脉冲效应所需的抽运功率水平大大降低。半导体激光器输出的抽运功率足以抑制由离子对导致的自脉冲，提供稳定激光运转。在研制稳定单频或高重复频率锁模光纤激光器方面，这种可用激光二极管抽运的镱铒共掺光纤具有很大的潜力。     

SOA-based actively mode-locked fiber ring laser by forward injecting an external pulse train

An actively mode-locked fiber ring laser based on cross-gain modulation (XGM) in a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is demonstrated to operate stably with a simple configuration. By forward injecting an easily-generated external pulse train, the mode-locked fiber laser can generate an optical-pulse sequence with pulsewidth about 6 ps and average output power about 7.9 mW. The output pulses show an ultra-low RMS jitter about 70.7 fs measured by a RF spectrum analyzer. The use of the proposed forward-injection configuration can realize the repetition-rate tunability from 1 to 15 GHz for the generated optical-pulse sequences. By employing a wavelength-tunable optical band-pass filter in the laser cavity, the operation wavelength of the designed SOA-based actively mode-locked fiber laser can be tuned continuously in a wide span between 1528 and 1565 nm. The parameters of external-injection optical pulses are studied experimentally to optimize the mode-locked fiber laser.     

Mode-locked fiber laser with MoSe_2 saturable absorber based on evanescent field

An all-fiber mode-locked fiber laser was achieved with a saturable absorber based on a tapered fiber deposited with layered molybdenum selenide(MoSe_2). The laser was operated at a central wavelength of 1558.35 nm with an output spectral width of 2.9 nm, and a pulse repetition rate of 16.33 MHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on mode-locked fiber lasers using MoSe_2 saturable absorbers based on tapered fibers.     

Passive mode locking with slow saturable absorbers

We give a comprehensive overview on passive mode locking of solid-state lasers with slow saturable absorbers, based on analytical and numerical calculations. For picosecond lasers, we present a simple equation to estimate the obtained pulse duration and compare the results to those for mode locking with fast saturable absorbers. We also discuss how much shorter the pulse duration can be compared to the absorber recovery time and present a simple rule. The effect of self-phase modulation is found to be qualitatively different compared to the case of a fast saturable absorber, and the effect of phase changes in the absorber is also discussed. Finally, we discuss various issues concerning soliton mode-locked lasers. Received: 20 July 2001 / Revised version: 28 September 2001 / Published online: 7 November 2001     

基于石墨烯可饱和吸收体的纳秒锁模掺铥光纤激光器

报道了一种基于石墨烯可饱和吸收体的纳秒锁模掺铥光纤激光器.该激光器采用环形腔结构,利用自制的三层石墨烯薄膜作为可饱和吸收体实现锁模.同时在腔内插入一个窄带光纤光栅,约束腔内起振的纵模数,适当调节抽运功率和偏振控制器的角度,得到了重复频率为3.8 MHz、脉宽在3.8—94.3 ns之间灵活可调的2μm纳秒锁模脉冲输出,整个脉宽调节范围超过90 ns.此外,由于获得的兆赫兹纳秒锁模脉冲时间带宽积在49—1119范围内,即存在强烈的啁啾,因而可作为2μm波段啁啾脉冲放大系统中的种子源使用.     

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.     

Active synchronization of two mode-locked lasers with optical cross correlation

Two mode-locked Ti:sapphire lasers of different wavelengths were precisely synchronized by a simple feedback system employing sum-frequency generation (cross correlation). When the timing error exceeded the pulse duration, the periodic bunch of the sum-frequency pulse was used for rough timing adjustment. Using cross correlation with a stretched pulse, we struck a balance between wide locking range and sensitive timing detection. When the two lasers were well-synchronized, we obtained a continuous cross-correlation pulse train for 3 min. The holding time of the laser synchronization was extended to over one hour by adding a motorized stage to the PZT-mounted cavity mirror. We estimated the rms timing jitter between the two lasers by a scanning cross-correlation measurement. We confirmed that the rms timing jitter of the two lasers during 1.8 s was 28 fs. Received: 30 January 2002 / Revised version: 14 June 2002 / Published online: 8 August 2002     

Continuous-wave mode-locked solid-state lasers with enhanced spatial hole burning

In Part I of this paper [1] experimental results were presented and discussed. In this part, we investigate theoretically the dynamics of end-pumped solid-state lasers due to enhanced spatial hole burning. This becomes possible by a fast numerical implementation of the saturated gain in the presence of strong spatial hole burning that allows to treat the multimode case for an arbitrary pumping level. We find for a wide range of laser parameters that the mode spacing of the cw running modes is essentially determined by the length of the gain medium and only weakly depends on the absorption depth of the pump transition. It is shown that spatial hole burning can lead to a completely flat saturated gain profile over half of the gain bandwidth. In mode-locked lasers, the flat gain due to spatial hole burning results in shorter pulses. But the pulses are neither Gaussian-nor sech-shaped as they are in actively or passively mode-locked lasers without spatial hole burning. Further, we show that soliton-like pulse shaping can be used to restore a transform-limited sech-shaped pulse in an end-pumped solid-state laser while exploiting the full gain bandwidth of the laser material.     

Semiconductor saturable absorber mirror structures with low saturation fluence

We present two novel semiconductor saturable absorber mirror (SESAM) designs which can exhibit more than ten times lower saturation fluence than classical SESAM devices. Design considerations and characterization data are presented. These devices are particularly suited for passively mode-locked lasers with ultra-high repetition rates.     

High-average-power flashlamp-pumped Nd:Glass fiber-bundle laser

Flashlamp-pumped high-gain fiber-bundle lasers consisting of multimode phosphate glass fibers have been investigated. By optimizing the fiber number and the outcoupling reflectivity in dependence on the pump conditions, high single-pulse energies in excess of 1 J as well as high-average-power extraction up to 100 W at a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz could be obtained from slim fiber-bundle lasers. Fiber numbers in the range of 150–250 and reflectivities between 35% and 50% have been found to provide reliable performance.     

Analysis of temporal pulse development in passively mode-locked lasers

Pulse-shortening and pulse broadening effects in passively mode-locked lasers are analysed. A steady-state pulse duration limit is calculated and compared with round-trip simulations. The numerical calculations apply to a picosecond Nd: glass laser. Methods of short-pulse generation are discussed.     

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.     

Gain-guided soliton in a positive group-dispersion fiber laser

We report on the operation of a passively mode-locked fiber ring laser made of purely normal dispersive fibers. Self-started mode locking can still be achieved in the laser by use of the nonlinear polarization rotation technique, and the mode-locked pulse has large pulse energy, strong frequency chirp, and a mode-locked spectral width limited by the effective laser gain bandwidth. Furthermore, we show that the operation of the laser can be well described by an extended Ginzburg-Landau equation model that governs the soliton dynamics of fiber lasers.     

全光纤超短脉冲掺Yb3+光纤环形激光器

讨论了自启动被动锁模掺Yb³⁺光纤环形激光器产生短脉冲的机理，并研制出全光纤结构超短脉冲掺Yb³⁺光纤环形激光器.采用两个976nm半导体激光器级联抽运作为抽运源，高掺杂浓度掺Yb³⁺光纤作为增益介质，利用光纤的非线性偏振旋转效应，得到自启动、十分稳定的ps量级锁模光脉冲.激光器锁模阈值功率260mW，输出功率25mW，锁模光脉冲中心波长1056nm，3dB带宽11.7nm，重复频率20MHz.与其他结构光纤激光器相比，这种全光纤结构具有更高的效率和更好的稳定性. 关键词： 环形光纤激光器 3+光纤')" href="#">高掺杂浓度掺Yb³⁺光纤 自启动 被动锁模     

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.     

Development of a tunable mid-IR difference frequency laser source for highly sensitive airborne trace gas detection

The development of a compact tunable mid-IR laser system at 3.5 μm for quantitative airborne spectroscopic trace gas absorption measurements is reported. The mid-IR laser system is based on difference frequency generation (DFG) in periodically poled LiNbO₃ and utilizes optical fiber amplified near-IR diode and fiber lasers as pump sources operating at 1083 nm and 1562 nm, respectively. This paper describes the optical sensor architecture, performance characteristics of individual pump lasers and DFG, as well as its application to wavelength modulation spectroscopy employing an astigmatic Herriott multi-pass gas absorption cell. This compact system permits detection of formaldehyde with a minimal detectable concentration (1σ replicate precision) of 74 parts-per-trillion by volume (pptv) for 1 min of averaging time and was achieved using calibrated gas standards, zero air background and rapid dual-beam subtraction. This corresponds to a pathlength-normalized replicate fractional absorption sensitivity of 2.5×10^-10 cm^-1. Received: 29 April 2002 / Published online: 21 August 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +1-303/497-1492, E-mail: dr@ucar.edu     

Velocity of pulse propagation in media with amplitude nonlinearity

The propagation velocity of optical wave fronts can be accelerated by the influence of gain saturation. We report systematic measurements for the specific case of Brillouin gain in optical fibers. A simplified analytic rate equation approach permits a qualitative understanding of the observations in terms of a pure amplitude nonlinearity. We point out that there is a close analogy to a mode-locked laser with gain saturation. Pursuing this analogy, we can explain why the changes in propagation velocity are hardly measurable for synchronously pumped lasers, but easily amount to several percent for amplifiers or lasers based on stimulated Brillouin scattering.     

Passive compensation of the thermal drift of magnetostriction based Q-switched fiber lasers

The authors propose and demonstrate a method to compensate the thermal drift of magnetostriction based Q-switched fiber lasers, which is caused by the eddy currents induced in the Terfenol-D magnetostrictive actuators. The consequent wavelength detuning between the fiber gratings of the laser is passively compensated by the use of Monel 400 as thermal actuator of the non-modulated grating. A highly stable pulsed signal is achieved in the range of 1 Hz-5 kHz, with a wavelength detuning between gratings maintained below 10 pm. Furthermore, an optimization of the use of the pump power is proposed, utilizing part of it for simultaneously pumping a fiber optic based amplification stage.     

Theory of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by a fast saturable absorber

A theoretical model of passive mode locking of colour-center lasers by an effective fast saturable absorber is presented where a hybrid saturation scheme is applied to consider the interaction of the mode-locked pulse with the gain medium. Intracavity group-velocity dispersion and Kerr-type nonlinearity are taken into account and their combined action can result in solition-like pulse shaping and shortening. Chirped steady-state solutions whose carrier frequency can be shifted with respect to the central frequency of the gain are found in a limited range of the parameters specifying the problem.