A dual-pass Mach–Zehnder interferometer filter using a TCF loop mirror for double-wavelength fiber lasers

A dual-pass Mach–Zehnder interferometer filter using a section of twin-core fiber (TCF) loop mirror is proposed. The filter is theoretically and experimentally studied for various interferometer arm difference when TCF length is constant. Theoretical results are validated by the experimental demonstration and in good agreement with the experimental results. And then, by using the filter in a ring fiber laser, a stable and switchable dual-wavelength lasing is obtained experimentally. The 3-dB bandwidth and the SMSR of the output laser are 0.015 nm and higher than 62.4 dB, respectively. The peak power fluctuation and wavelength shift are also monitored to be less than 0.04 dB and 0.02 nm over an hour at room temperature. Furthermore, the output laser can be switched between single and dual wavelength by carefully adjusting the PCs. The experimental results show that the filter can suppress mode competition effectively, improve the SMSR availably, and enhance the stability of the output lasing.