Coexistence of polarization domains and polarization vector solitons in fiber lasers

Abstract

We experimentally observed the coexistence of polarization domains and polarization locked vector solitons in an Er-doped fiber laser with microfiber-based graphene as a saturable absorber. Taking advantage of the highly nonlinear effect and saturable absorption effect of the microfiber-based graphene saturable absorber, we have obtained polarization domains and their splitting into regularly or irregularly distributed multiple domains under relatively high pump power; at lower pump power and by carefully adjusting the orientation of the intra-cavity polarization controllers, we have also observed polarization locked vector pulses and their disordered soliton bunch or harmonic mode locking.