A Polarization-Maintaining and Dispersion-Managed 10-GHz Mode-Locked Erbium Fiber Ring Laser Providing Both sech2- and Gaussian-Shaped Pulses

Abstract

We have constructed a polarization-maintaining and dispersion-managed 10-GHz regeneratively mode-locked Erbium fiber ring laser which generates highly stable and nearly transform-limited 3.5- to 7-ps sech2pulses at 1560 nm. By forcing the wavelength to a narrow-band ripple in the transfer function of the laser in-line filter, highly stable 15-ps Gaussian-like pulses were also obtained. We have studied in detail the temporal and spectral shapes of the pulses and confirmed a good agreement with the corresponding theoretical fits for transform-limited sech2and Gaussian pulses, respectively. The pulses have a timing jitter below 0.2 ps and the highest reported supermode noise suppression of 90 dB. This remarkably high supermode noise suppression is likely a result of the dispersion-management in the laser cavity. The wavelength is tunable within 1530–1570 nm. The laser has excellent long-term stability and is very robust to thermal and mechanical disturbances.