Dissipative soliton operation of an ytterbium-doped fiber laser mode locked with atomic multilayer graphene

Abstract

Mode locking of an ytterbium-doped fiber laser with atomic multilayer graphene is, to the best of our knowledge, experimentally demonstrated for the first time. Dissipative solitons with duration of 580 ps at 1069.8 nm were generated. Since graphene can also be used to mode lock erbium-doped fiber lasers, our result shows that graphene indeed has wavelength-independent saturable absorption, which could be exploited to mode lock fiber lasers with various operating wavelengths.

15 GHz picosecond pulse generation from a monolithic waveguide laser with a graphene-film saturable output coupler

“…While the predominantly used semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) are limited by their narrow wavelength range 17 , and complex fabrication 18 , CNTs and graphene have simple, cost-effective production and integration [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] . Broadband operation is achieved with CNTs by combining tubes of different diameters 12 .…”

All-fiber passively mode-locked thulium-doped fiber ring laser using optically deposited graphene saturable absorbers

“…9,10 Since 2009, a number of papers have been reported to harness this unique nonlinear optical property of graphene in construction of mode-locked fiber lasers. So far, GSAs have been reported and utilized to construct passively mode-locked ytterbium and erbium doped fiber lasers, [10][11][12] and very recently passively Q-switched and mode-locked Tm-doped lasers at 2-lm by graphene based saturable absorbers have also been demonstrated. 13,14 One of interesting characteristics of graphene saturable absorber (GSAs), in comparison to semiconductor-based devices, is the ultra-broad operational bandwidth.…”

Tutorial on fiber-based sources for biophotonic applications

“…Bao et al 95 demonstrated the first passive mode locking of an Er-doped fiber laser, generating ∼1 ps pulses of high dynamic range around 1560 nm. Since then, the passive mode locking of Yb 96 and Tm 97 fiber lasers using graphene saturable absorbers has been reported, as well as numerous bulk solid state laser systems. 98 Generally, the mode locked performance is relatively similar to that based upon nanotube or SESAM-based devices and like both systems, occasional damage to the substrate is observed as a result of random Q-switching, which requires realignment or replacement of the absorber.…”