Wavelength-switchable single-frequency erbium-doped fiber ring laser

Abstract

We demonstrate a single-frequency and wavelength-switchable fiber ring laser obtained by a Lyot filter used in combination with a sampled fiber Bragg grating and a saturable absorber. The operating wavelength of the laser can be tuned, with a constant 0.8-nm step, in the range 1552.6-1555.8 nm. The tuning mechanism works on the rotation of the polarization of Lyot filter input signal. The structure of the laser is very simple regarding its characteristics: an output power of 6 dBm, with a signal-to-noise ratio higher than 60 dB and a spectral linewidth of 8 kHz.