A stable multi-wavelength PM-EDF laser based on a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror and a TCF comb filter

Abstract

A stable multi-wavelength polarization-maintaining erbium-doped fiber (PM-EDF) ring cavity laser employing a twin-core fiber (TCF) comb filter and a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM) is proposed and demonstrated. By appropriately adjusting the polarization controllers, the NALM as an amplitude equalizer can effectively reduce the mode competition caused by the homogeneous broadening gain medium in the PM-EDF. Under 150 mW pump power, up to 26 wavelength outputs within a 3 dB bandwidth are achieved and their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 39.5 dB. Besides, the TCF comb filter is experimentally fabricated using a length of 0.78 m TCF spliced between two segments of the single-mode fiber. The transmission spectra of the filter in experimental measurements are in accord with the results of theoretical analysis, and its wavelength spacing is 0.29 nm. Meanwhile, the power fluctuation and wavelength shift are within 0.1 dB and 0.02 nm, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the proposed multi-wavelength fiber laser performs with high stability at room temperature. In addition, the multi-wavelength laser with the TCF comb filter can offer more wavelengths in a 3 dB spectral range and higher SNR than one using a Sagnac loop filter, and the length of the filter is also reduced by more than six times.