Soliton molecules order control and their propagation features in an anomalous dispersion optical fiber

Abstract

We report the experimental generation of soliton molecules (SM) with a controlled number of pulses in an all-fiber erbium laser. The change in the number of pulses (from 7 to 18 coupled states) occurred without changing time- separation between pulses. The ability to increase or decrease the number of pulses is repeatable and easily controlled by changing the pump power in both directions without changing the output characteristics of the reported regime. The average pulse duration was < 0.5 ps at full width at half maximum with a time interval between pulses of ∼ 4.7 ps.We also experimentally and numerically studied the evolution of soliton molecules regime with N = 23 during propagation along a standard telecommunication fiber with anomalous dispersion. In this case, we observed the appearance of a dispersive wave, which led to a rapid broadening of the pulses and the subsequent decay of the SM.