Short-pulse, all-fiber, Raman laser with dispersion compensation in a holey fiber

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Physics
• Fiber Optics

Background:

• Ultrashort pulse generation is crucial for various scientific and technological applications.
• Fiber lasers offer advantages in terms of robustness, compactness, and cost-effectiveness.
• Achieving high pulse compression ratios in fiber lasers remains a key research challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of generating ultrashort pulses using Raman gain in a fiber laser.
• To achieve significant pulse compression in a fiber-integrated laser system.
• To explore the potential of holey fibers for dispersion compensation in laser cavities.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing Raman gain in a conventional fiber for initial pulse shortening.
• Employing a holey fiber for dispersion compensation.
• Operating in a synchronously pumped laser configuration.
• Integrating all components into a fiber-based laser system.

Main Results:

• Achieved a pulse compression factor of 8.5.
• Generated 2-picosecond (ps) output pulses at a wavelength of 1.14 micrometers.
• Used a fiber laser pumped with 17-ps pulses at 1 micrometer.
• Demonstrated a totally fiber-integrated laser system.

Conclusions:

• Ultrashort-pulse, all-fiber Raman lasers are feasible at wavelengths shorter than 1.3 micrometers.
• The demonstrated technique shows potential for further pulse compression with nonlinear chirp compensation.
• This work paves the way for compact and efficient sources of ultrashort optical pulses.