Observation of periodic optical spectra and soliton molecules in a novel passively mode-locked fiber laser
Abstract: Due to the necessity of making a series of random adjustments after mode-locking in most experiments for preparing soliton molecules, the repeatability of the preparations remains a challenge. Here, we introduce a novel all-polarization-maintaining erbium-doped fiber laser that utilizes a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror for mode-locking and features a linear shape. This laser can stably output soliton molecules without any additional adjustment once the mode-locking self-starts. Moreover, it can achieve the transition from soliton molecule state to soliton state, and then to multi-pulse state by reducing the pumping power. The unconventional method of generating multi-pulses, combined with a wide pumping power range of 200--640 mW for maintaining mode-locking, allowed us to observe periodic optical spectra with two complete cycles for the first time. Based on the experimental facts, we develop a multistability model to explain this phenomenon. With its ability to switch between three stable states, this flexible laser can serve as a versatile toolbox for studying soliton dynamics.
- K. Sugioka, “Will GHz burst mode create a new path to femtosecond laser processing?” International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, vol. 3, no. 4, p. 043001, Sep. 2021.
- E. D. Caldwell, L. C. Sinclair, N. R. Newbury, and J.-D. Deschenes, “The time-programmable frequency comb and its use in quantum-limited ranging,” Nature, vol. 610, no. 7933, pp. 667–673, Oct. 2022.
- P. Barik and M. Pradhan, “Selectivity in trace gas sensing: recent developments, challenges, and future perspectives,” Analyst, vol. 147, no. 6, pp. 1024–1054, Mar. 2022.
- N. C. Menicucci, S. T. Flammia, and O. Pfister, “One-Way Quantum Computing in the Optical Frequency Comb,” Physical Review Letters, vol. 101, no. 13, p. 130501, Sep. 2008.
- M. Pysher, Y. Miwa, R. Shahrokhshahi, R. Bloomer, and O. Pfister, “Parallel Generation of Quadripartite Cluster Entanglement in the Optical Frequency Comb,” Physical Review Letters, vol. 107, no. 3, p. 030505, Jul. 2011.
- H. Inaba, Y. Daimon, F.-L. Hong, A. Onae, K. Minoshima, T. R. Schibli, H. Matsumoto, M. Hirano, T. Okuno, M. Onishi, and M. Nakazawa, “Long-term measurement of optical frequencies using a simple, robust and low-noise fiber based frequency comb,” Optics Express, vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 5223–5231, Jun. 2006.
- J. Kim, J. A. Cox, J. Chen, and F. X. Kärtner, “Drift-free femtosecond timing synchronization of remote optical and microwave sources,” Nature Photonics, vol. 2, no. 12, pp. 733–736, Dec. 2008.
- Q. Shen, J.-Y. Guan, J.-G. Ren, T. Zeng, L. Hou, M. Li, Y. Cao, J.-J. Han, M.-Z. Lian, Y.-W. Chen, X.-X. Peng, S.-M. Wang, D.-Y. Zhu, X.-P. Shi, Z.-G. Wang, Y. Li, W.-Y. Liu, G.-S. Pan, Y. Wang, Z.-H. Li, J.-C. Wu, Y.-Y. Zhang, F.-X. Chen, C.-Y. Lu, S.-K. Liao, J. Yin, J.-J. Jia, C.-Z. Peng, H.-F. Jiang, Q. Zhang, and J.-W. Pan, “Free-space dissemination of time and frequency with 10-19-19{}^{\textrm{-19}}start_FLOATSUPERSCRIPT -19 end_FLOATSUPERSCRIPT instability over 113 km,” Nature, vol. 610, no. 7933, pp. 661–666, Oct. 2022.
- U. Keller, W. H. Knox, and H. Roskos, “Coupled-cavity resonant passive mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser,” Optics Letters, vol. 15, no. 23, pp. 1377–1379, Dec. 1990.
- D. Noske, N. Pandit, and J. Taylor, “Subpicosecond soliton pulse formation from self-mode-locked erbium fibre laser using intensity dependent polarisation rotation,” Electronics Letters, vol. 28, no. 23, p. 2185, 1992.
- K. Tamura, H. Haus, and E. Ippen, “Self-starting additive pulse mode-locked erbium fibre ring laser,” Electronics Letters, vol. 28, no. 24, p. 2226, 1992.
- M. E. Fermann, F. Haberl, M. Hofer, and H. Hochreiter, “Nonlinear amplifying loop mirror,” Optics Letters, vol. 15, no. 13, p. 752, Jul. 1990.
- J. Song, X. Hu, H. Wang, T. Zhang, Y. Wang, Y. Liu, and J. Zhang, “All-polarization-maintaining, semiconductor saturable absorbing mirror mode-locked femtosecond Er-doped fiber laser with a gigahertz fundamental repetition rate,” Laser Physics Letters, vol. 16, no. 9, p. 095102, Aug. 2019.
- D. Song, K. Yin, R. Miao, C. Zhang, Z. Xu, and T. Jiang, “Theoretical and experimental investigations of dispersion-managed, polarization-maintaining 1-GHz mode-locked fiber lasers,” Optics Express, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 1916–1930, Jan. 2023.
- X. Liu, R. Zhou, D. Pan, Q. Li, and H. Y. Fu, “115-MHz Linear NPE Fiber Laser Using All Polarization-Maintaining Fibers,” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 81–84, Jan. 2021.
- W. Hänsel, H. Hoogland, M. Giunta, S. Schmid, T. Steinmetz, R. Doubek, P. Mayer, S. Dobner, C. Cleff, M. Fischer, and R. Holzwarth, “All polarization-maintaining fiber laser architecture for robust femtosecond pulse generation,” Applied Physics B, vol. 123, no. 1, p. 41, Jan. 2017.
- X. Liu, F. Ye, M. Zhao, B. A. Malomed, H. Y. Fu, and Q. Li, “All-Polarization-Maintaining Linear Cavity Fiber Lasers Mode-Locked by Nonlinear Polarization Evolution in Stretched Pulse Regime,” Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 41, no. 15, pp. 5107–5115, Aug. 2023.
- Y. Cui, Y. Zhang, L. Huang, A. Zhang, Z. Liu, C. Kuang, C. Tao, D. Chen, X. Liu, and B. A. Malomed, “Dichromatic Breather Molecules in a Mode-Locked Fiber Laser,” Physical Review Letters, vol. 130, no. 15, p. 153801, Apr. 2023.
- Y. Zhou, Y.-X. Ren, J. Shi, H. Mao, and K. K. Y. Wong, “Buildup and dissociation dynamics of dissipative optical soliton molecules,” Optica, vol. 7, no. 8, pp. 965–972, Aug. 2020.
- D. Zou, Y. Song, O. Gat, M. Hu, and P. Grelu, “Synchronization of the internal dynamics of optical soliton molecules,” Optica, vol. 9, no. 11, pp. 1307–1313, Nov. 2022.
- A. Komarov, H. Leblond, and F. Sanchez, “Multistability and hysteresis phenomena in passively mode-locked fiber lasers,” Physical Review A, vol. 71, no. 5, p. 053809, May 2005.
- D. Y. Tang, L. M. Zhao, B. Zhao, and A. Q. Liu, “Mechanism of multisoliton formation and soliton energy quantization in passively mode-locked fiber lasers,” Physical Review A, vol. 72, no. 4, p. 043816, Oct. 2005.
- J. Li, W. Jiang, Y. Meng, and F. Wang, “Hysteresis of a passively mode-locked fiber laser: effects from cavity dispersion,” Optics Letters, vol. 47, no. 21, pp. 5668–5671, Nov. 2022.
- Z. Łaszczych, M. Krakowski, and G. Soboń, “Mode-Locking Dynamics in an All-PM Figure-Nine Tm-Doped Fiber Laser,” Applied Sciences, vol. 12, no. 20, p. 10613, Oct. 2022.
- Z. Łaszczych and G. Soboń, “Three states of operation in the net-normal figure-nine fiber laser at 1560 nm,” Optics & Laser Technology, vol. 152, p. 108107, Aug. 2022.
- R. C. Jones, “A New Calculus for the Treatment of Optical SystemsI Description and Discussion of the Calculus,” Journal of the Optical Society of America, vol. 31, no. 7, p. 488, Jul. 1941.
- A. S. Mayer, W. Grosinger, J. Fellinger, G. Winkler, L. W. Perner, S. Droste, S. H. Salman, C. Li, C. M. Heyl, I. Hartl, and O. H. Heckl, “Flexible all-PM NALM Yb:fiber laser design for frequency comb applications: operation regimes and their noise properties,” Optics Express, vol. 28, no. 13, p. 18946, Jun. 2020.
- J. Li, W. Jiang, Y. Meng, and F. Wang, “Probing the mode-locking pattern in the parameter space of a Figure-9 laser,” Optics Letters, vol. 47, no. 10, pp. 2606–2609, May 2022.
- S. Kelly, “Characteristic sideband instability of periodically amplified average soliton,” Electronics Letters, vol. 28, no. 8, p. 806, 1992.
- L. Yun and X. Liu, “Generation and Propagation of Bound-State Pulses in a Passively Mode-Locked Figure-Eight Laser,” IEEE Photonics Journal, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 512–519, Apr. 2012.
- D. Y. Tang, W. S. Man, H. Y. Tam, and P. D. Drummond, “Observation of bound states of solitons in a passively mode-locked fiber laser,” Physical Review A, vol. 64, no. 3, p. 033814, Aug. 2001.
- P. Wang, C. Bao, B. Fu, X. Xiao, P. Grelu, and C. Yang, “Generation of wavelength-tunable soliton molecules in a 2-μ𝜇\muitalic_μm ultrafast all-fiber laser based on nonlinear polarization evolution,” Optics Letters, vol. 41, no. 10, p. 2254, May 2016.
- S. Liu, Y. Cui, E. Karimi, and B. A. Malomed, “On-demand harnessing of photonic soliton molecules,” Optica, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 240–250, Feb. 2022.
- L. Gui, P. Wang, Y. Ding, K. Zhao, C. Bao, X. Xiao, and C. Yang, “Soliton Molecules and Multisoliton States in Ultrafast Fibre Lasers: Intrinsic Complexes in Dissipative Systems,” Applied Sciences, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 201, Jan. 2018.
- S. Chouli and P. Grelu, “Soliton rains in a fiber laser: An experimental study,” Physical Review A, vol. 81, no. 6, p. 063829, Jun. 2010.
- L. Gui, X. Li, X. Xiao, H. Zhu, and C. Yang, “Widely Spaced Bound States in a Soliton Fiber Laser With Graphene Saturable Absorber,” IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, vol. 25, no. 12, pp. 1184–1187, Jun. 2013.
- J. Tao, Y. Song, Y. Li, X. Jia, L. Hou, B. Lu, and J. Bai, “Pulse type switchable, spectral bandwidth dynamically adjustable all-fiber laser mode-locked by NALM,” Optics & Laser Technology, vol. 157, p. 108682, Jan. 2023.
- L. Guo, Z. Gan, and X. Liang, “Single and Multiple Pulse Pattern Formation in All-Normal All-PM Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Using a Nonlinear Optical Loop Mirror,” IEEE Photonics Journal, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 1–8, Dec. 2022.
- S. Kobtsev and A. Ivanenko, “Mode-locked NALM-based fibre laser with controllable operation regimes,” in Optical Components and Materials XV, vol. 10528. SPIE, Feb. 2018, pp. 345–350.
- X. L. Fan, Y. Wang, W. Zhou, X. J. Ren, Z. F. Hu, Q. Y. Liu, R. J. Zhang, and D. Y. Shen, “Generation of Polarization-Locked Vector Solitons in Mode-Locked Thulium Fiber Laser,” IEEE Photonics Journal, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1–8, Feb. 2018.
- Y. Takeuchi, T. Kurihara, T. Yamada, S. Endo, S. Matsushita, A. Suemasa, T. Sasaki, H. Takiguchi, I. Kawano, S. Kogure, and M. Musha, “Robust and Low-Phase Noise All-PM Figure-8 Mode-Locked Fiber Laser for Spaceborne Optical Frequency Comb,” in 2023 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC), Jun. 2023, pp. 1–1.
- R. Liao, Y. Song, L. Chai, and M. Hu, “Pulse dynamics manipulation by the phase bias in a nonlinear fiber amplifying loop mirror,” Optics Express, vol. 27, no. 10, p. 14705, May 2019.
Paper Prompts
Sign up for free to create and run prompts on this paper using GPT-5.
Top Community Prompts
Collections
Sign up for free to add this paper to one or more collections.