Compact, repetition rate locked all-PM fiber femtosecond laser system based on low noise figure-9 Er:fiber laser

Abstract

We demonstrate a compact femtosecond fiber laser system based on all polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber and fiber components integrated structure. The figure-9 oscillator which incorporated a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror in the cavity features a 103.4-MHz high repetition rate with up to 93.1 dB signal-to-noise ratio of the radio frequency spectrum, 0.0056% [1 Hz, 1 MHz] integrated root-mean-square amplitude noise at the fundamental repetition rate and 63.7-fs timing jitter [100 Hz, 1 MHz]. Meanwhile, the fundamental repetition frequency was also locked to a stable radio frequency reference by using a self-designed frequency actuator and a relative frequency stability of 2.1 × 10−12 at 1-s gate time was obtained. Moreover, benefitting from the large positive group-velocity dispersion and negative third-order dispersion at 1.5-μm wavelength band, we also achieved 48.2 fs compressed pulse duration as well as an amplified average power of 199 mW via one-stage all-PM fiber amplifier and compressor. At last, as a performance proof, by directly splicing 38-cm long PM highly nonlinear fiber to the pulse compressor, a broadband coherent supercontinuum spanning from 950 nm to 2150 nm was generated. Our all-PM fiber laser system is suitable for the further buildup of a low noise PM fiber optical frequency comb.