Selectable and stable C-band multi-wavelength ring cavity erbium-doped fiber laser employing Sagnac loop and tunable filter

Abstract

A tunable C-band multi-wavelength ring cavity erbium-doped fiber laser based on a Sagnac loop and tunable filter was developed and experimentally demonstrated. In this fiber laser, a Sagnac loop fabricated using a 3 × 3 coupler and polarization-maintaining fiber is employed as the comb filter. A 4-m-long C-band and 0.8-m-long L-band erbium-doped fiber serve as the gain medium, and a tunable filter connected to the 3 × 3 coupler is used for laser wavelength adjustment. In the experiment described herein, switchable single-wavelength lasing was realized from 1528.6 nm to 1562.5 nm in 4.9-nm intervals, and the peak power variation was less than 1.12 dB during 10 min of scanning at 26 °C. In addition, switchable double- and triple-wavelength lasing were realized, for which the tunable wavelength scope was 28.6 nm and 19.9 nm, and the power fluctuation was less than 1.14 dB and 1.39 dB, respectively.