Switchable multi-wavelength and tunable wavelength spacing erbium-doped fiber laser based on a phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating combined with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer

Abstract

A switchable multi-wavelength fiber laser with tunable wavelength spacing is proposed. It is based on a structure filter composed of a phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (PSFBG) and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), and the MZI is fabricated by splicing a section of polarization-maintaining fiber with two segments of multi-mode fibers. By adjusting the variable optical attenuator in the cavity and slightly changing the temperature, stable single-, dual-, triple- and quadruple-wavelength emissions can be obtained. The minimum wavelength spacing of adjacent peaks is 0.176 nm, and the maximum is 17.86 nm. The laser line emissions can be switched from 1527.684 nm to 1550.224 nm with optical signal to noise ratio of more than 50 dB. The maximum wavelength fluctuation of the fiber laser is less than 0.025 nm over 50 min. When the strain applied to the filter is changed, the tunable wavelength spacing can be achieved. The wavelength spacing of dual-wavelength laser can be continuously tuned from 21.82 nm to 22.69 nm by applying strain of 0–258 με to the filter.