Switchable and tunable multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with fiber Bragg gratings and photonic crystal fiber

We propose and report on a novel multiwavelength-switchable-tunable erbium-doped fiber laser with excellent stability and uniformity based on four-wave mixing (FWM) in a highly nonlinear photonic crystal fiber. By adjusting the attenuators, the single, dual, or triple wavelengths can be lasing simultaneously. Under the influence of the FWM, the spectrum is stabilized and the uniformity is less than 0.6 dB.     

Stable and widely tunable wavelength-spacing single longitudinal mode dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser

In this paper, a novel and simple widely tunable wavelength-spacing single longitudinal mode (SLM) dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on the tunable filter group, a passive feedback fiber ring (FFR) and saturable absorber (SA), is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. Experiment results show that the wavelength spacing can tune from 0.8 nm up to 17 nm, which has potential to generate terahertz (THz) waves by photo-mixing the lasing wavelengths in a high-speed photo-detector, and the maximum fluctuation of peak power of EDFL is less than 0.37 dB within 75 min and the optical signal-to-noise ratio is more than 30 dB at room temperature. In the absence of high-speed photo-detector, THz beat-note is also successively observed with the help of an autocorrelator. Moreover, dual-wavelength fiber laser can selectively realize one wavelength lasing by simply tuning filters.     

Stability comparison of two quadruple-wavelength switchable erbium-doped fiber lasers

An experimental stability comparison between two different switchable Erbium-doped fiber lasers (EDFL) is carried out. Both topologies use fiber Bragg grating reflectors in order to select the emission wavelengths and two 2 × 4 optical switches. By adjusting the switches combinations, the lasers can be switched among the sixteen different wavelength lasing configurations. An output power and wavelength instability analysis with time for both topologies was performed. The experimental results confirm that the topology based on a serial configuration offers a better stability, efficiency and higher optical signal-to-noise ratios (OSNR) than the one based on a parallel configuration.     

Single-/dual-wavelength switchable and tunable compound-cavity erbium-doped fiber laser with super-narrow linewidth

A single-/dual-wavelength switchable and tunable erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) with super-narrow linewidth has been proposed and experimentally demonstrated at room temperature. The fiber laser is based on a compound cavity simply composed of a ring main cavity and a two-ring subring cavity (TR-SC). Regardless of single- or dual-wavelength operation, the EDFL could always work well in single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) state at every oscillating wavelength. In dual-wavelength operation, the spacing could be tuned from 0 nm to 4.83 nm. In single-wavelength operation, the EDFL could lase at a fixed wavelength of 1 543.65 nm or another wavelength with a tunable range of 4.83 nm. The super-narrow linewidths of 550 Hz and 600 Hz for two wavelengths are obtained. The proposed EDFL has potential applications in microwave/terahertz-wave generation and high-precision distributed fiber optical sensing.     

基于DMD滤波器的波长间隔可调谐的双波长单纵模光纤环形激光器

提出一种稳定的波长间隔可调谐的双波长单纵模环形光纤激光器。在复合环形谐振腔中,采用由数字微镜装置（DMD）滤波器和两个不同长度的次级环形谐振腔组成的多重滤波的方式来选择激光器的工作模式。其中,DMD滤波器可以从掺铒光纤的自发增益谱中任意选择两个波长并将它们耦合进光路中;次级环形谐振腔作为模式滤波器,可以保证激光器输出单纵模激射;利用非线性光子晶体光纤（HN-PCF）的四波混频（FWM）效应,使激光器输出均衡平稳的双波长激射。在室温条件下,不用移动实验装置中的任何器件,通过将位置不同的光栅映射在DMD滤波器上来实现双波长间隔可调谐,调谐范围为0.165nm到1.08nm,调谐步长为0.055nm。     

A self-seeded tunable multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser with fiber bending scheme

A new tunable multiwavelength fiber laser is proposed. Such a laser contains a homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening media, i.e., a Fabry–Perót laser diode and an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, in the laser cavity. The Fabry–Perót laser diode is used to obtain tunable multiwavelength lasing. By adjusting the injection current of the Fabry–Perót laser diode, emission at a single wavelength, dual wavelengths, triple wavelengths or quadruple wavelengths are obtained. The lasing wavelength is tuned by bending a section of fiber in the laser cavity. The tuning ranges for single wavelength lasing and dual wavelength lasing are 20 nm and 10 nm, respectively, while those for triple wavelength lasing and quadruple wavelength lasing are 7 nm and 3 nm, respectively.     

Four-wave mixing in an optical fiber in the zero-dispersionwavelength region

Fiber four-wave mixing (FWM) in the zero-dispersion wavelength region is described. The phase-matching characteristics are studied in the wavelength region where the first-order chromatic dispersion is zero. The results show that the phase-matching condition is satisfied and FWM light is efficiently generated at particular combinations of input light wavelengths. It is also shown that the deviation of the zero-dispersion wavelength along the fiber length plays an important role in FWM behavior     

Widely tunable wavelength spacing dual-wavelength single longitudinal mode erbium doped fiber laser

A simple widely tunable wavelength spacing dual-wavelength single longitudinal mode (SLM) erbium doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on cascaded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and birefringent fiber filter is proposed and demonstrated. Experimental results show that the lasing wavelength spacing is widely tunable in a range from 2 nm to 18 nm, which has potential to generate frequency tunable terahertz (THz) waves by beating the lasing dual-wavelength in a high speed photodetector. The birefringent fiber filter acts as an ultra-narrow bandpass filter and benefits the simultaneous oscillation of dual-wavelength in a single laser cavity. The output peak power of the lasing dual-wavelength is approximately equalized at room temperature, and a high optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) is realized in the whole tuning range. The SLM operation of dual-wavelength fiber laser is verified by Fabry–Perot (F–P) scanning interferometer, and the clear eye diagram proves that the proposed fiber laser is effective in the application of fiber optic communication system.     

Tunable dual-wavelength-switching fiber grating laser

We report a tunable dual-wavelength-switching fiber grating laser by exploiting the large homogeneous gain broadening in erbium (Er)-doped fiber to suppress simultaneous lasing. Wavelength switching was accomplished through a novel design which has two overlapping cavities sharing a single-gain medium. The loss corresponding to one of the lasing wavelengths can be modulated via an optical chopper. Output power of about 6 mW and extinction ratio up to 50 dB were observed. The lasing wavelengths were tunable and switching was demonstrated for wavelength separations ranging from 0.35 to 23.5 nm     

High-power multiwavelength Er/sup 3+/-Yb/sup 3+/ codoped double-cladding fiber ring laser

A high-power simultaneous multiwavelength lasing in an Er/sup 3+/-Yb/sup 3+/ codoped double-cladding fiber (EYCDF) ring laser is demonstrated based on a wavelength-dependent filter through spatial mode beating within the multimode fiber section. We have investigated the relationship between the lasing wavelengths and the length of the EYCDFs. The experimental results indicate that both the number of lasing wavelength lines and the spacing between two adjacent lasing lines can be controlled by the changes of the lasing light polarization states.     

Tuning and wavelength switching erbium-doped fiber ring lasers by controlled bending in arc-induced long-period fiber gratings

In this paper, we report a simple method for the production of an all-fiber, tunable and wavelength switchable erbium-doped fiber ring laser (EDFRL). We use the shift in resonance wavelength and notch-depth of arc-induced long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) when it is subject to controlled bend to suppress some wavelength gain and promote lasing in a selective way in a fiber laser system. By changing the bending radius, the operating wavelength of the EDFRL can be tuned from 1526 to 1538 nm and then switched and tuned from 1568 to 1557 nm. The maximum separation measured between laser lines was ～42 nm. This is one of the highest laser separations reported in a wavelength switching operation of an EDFL using a single LPFG as wavelength selective filter.     

Beating frequency tunable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with one fiber Bragg grating

A tunable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) is proposed and demonstrated. By applying axial and lateral strain simultaneously on the fiber Bragg grating (FBG), the absolute wavelength and wavelength spacing of the EDFL can be tuned continuously. The FBG used included not only the FBG fabricated in standard single-mode fiber, but also the FBG in polarization-maintaining fiber. The experiment results are similar.     

自由运转的掺镱光纤激光器激射波长的研究

为了更好地设计掺镱光纤激光器,提出了一种用于确定自由运转的掺镱光纤激光器激射波长的计算模型。利用此模型可以同时分析激射波长与光纤长度、腔的损耗、掺杂浓度、工作温度等系统参数的关系,从而有助于合理设计光纤激光器,得到所需的出射波长,并且有助于设计可调谐的光纤激光器。在推导中引入了一种确定掺杂光纤的发射、吸收截面随温度变化的近似处理方法,用此方法只需要常温下掺杂光纤的截面数据就能进行温度相关的分析。通过与已知实验结果的对比,验证了此模型的适用性。     

掺铒光纤环形激光器输出波长的研究

为了得到掺铒光纤环形激光器的激光运行波长与掺铒光纤长度和耦合比之间对应关系,基于3能级的速率方程采用解析方法进行了理论分析,并通过实验给予验证,分别取得了激光运行波长随掺铒光纤长度和耦合器耦合比变化的数据。结果表明,随着光纤长度的增加,激光的输出波长往长波方向移动,输出波长为1563nm 时输出功率最大,掺铒光纤最佳长度大约为11.5m,耦合比越大,激光的输出波长越短。这一结果对改变耦合比进行光纤激光器激光波长调谐的设计有很大帮助。     

基于光纤拉锥及相位调制的可切换多波长掺铒光纤激光器

研究了一种全光纤可切换多波长掺铒光纤激光器。该激光器利用一段缠绕在压电陶瓷上的单模光纤作为正弦相位调制器以及基于光纤拉锥的马赫-曾德尔干涉仪作为梳状滤波器,抑制由于掺铒光纤的均匀展宽效应引起的模式竞争,从而避免了在室温下不稳定的单波长激射,实现了多波长掺铒光纤激光器的稳定输出。实验中观察到稳定的5个波长的同时激射,相邻波长间隔为0.804 nm。信噪比大于40 dB,3 dB带宽约为0.023 nm,中心5个波长输出功率的平坦度为14 dB。同时,激光器具有灵活的波长可切换特性,通过调整驱动信号和偏振控制器的状态,实现了单波长、双波长、三波长以及更多波长的输出。该激光器可应用于大容量波分复用系统和光纤传感。     

Multiple wavelength Q-switched fiber laser

90-wavelength Q-switched fiber laser is demonstrated, utilizing scanning Fabry-Perot filter for switching the wavelength and cavity finesse, simultaneously. This technique offers the advantage of short switching time, low insertion loss, high extinction ratio, and low-drive voltage requirement. The technique is straightforward to implement and allows electrical control of lasing wavelengths, number of wavelength channels and pulsewidth     

A nonlinear optical loop mirror-based linear cavity swit- chable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser

A nonlinear optical loop mirror (NOLM)-based linear cavity switchable multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber (EDF) laser is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Due to the characteristics of the intensity-dependent transmissivity, the NOLM can effectively mitigate the mode competition of the homogenous broadening gain medium, so that the multi-wavelength lasing can be achieved at room temperature. By adjusting the states of the polarization controllers (PCs), the number of the lasing wavelengths in the proposed laser can be adjusted flexibly from 11 to 13 with a wavelength spacing of 0.4 nm around the wavelength of 1 530 nm.     

Design of wavelength-switching erbium-doped fiber lasers with a multimode fiber Bragg grating using spatial-mode excitation and selection techniques

A multimode fiber Bragg grating (MMFBG)-based wavelength-switching erbium-doped fiber laser and its application in displacement sensing is proposed and demonstrated. According to the spatial-mode distribution in the multimode fiber (MMF), the modes reflected by the MMFBG at different wavelengths build a wavelength-dependent mode field on the transverse plane of the MMF. By varying spatial-launching position of the single-mode fiber against the MMFBG to achieve different mode group excitation and selection, single-wavelength lasing at 31 discrete wavelengths has been realized over a wide wavelength range.     

Wavelength switching of a fiber laser with a Sagnac loop reflector

A multiwavelength fiber laser is constructed with an elliptical core erbium-doped fiber serving as an anisotropic gain medium. A broadband fiber reflector and a Sagnac loop reflector form a Fabry-Perot resonant cavity. Three lasing wavelengths are obtained which are stable over an hour at room temperatures. With one of them as reference wavelength, we can switch the other two by a polarization controller. The lasing wavelengths are also tunable. The effects of the anisotropic gain behavior of the erbium-doped fiber are also explored.     

双环内级联采样光栅的多波长锁模光纤激光器

为了实现多波长激光输出,提出了一种改进的多波长主动锁模光纤环形激光器,采用集成级联采样光纤光栅进入激光腔形成稳定的多种波长激光的方法,进行了理论分析和实验验证。结果表明,双环形腔结构对于所有波长激光,其腔长度是一致的,从而可以用相同的锁模信号实现所有波长的同步锁模。实验中光纤环形激光器成功实现了以1.6nm为间隔的波长多达14个;它的输出功率大于0dBm,边模抑制比约30dB,最高模式锁模频率为1.05GHz,输出脉冲序列的脉宽是216ps。这一结果对光纤传输系统设计是有帮助的。