Third-order dispersion in femtosecond fiber lasers

We experimentally investigate the effects of third-order dispersion (TOD) on ultrafast sources, using dispersion-compensated femtosecond fiber lasers. By in situ measurement of the intracavity dispersion, we identify spectral resonances that are due to coupling of the cavity pulse energy to dispersive wave components at the phase velocity and group-velocity-matched wavelengths. We obtain pulse widths as short as 91 fs by partially compensating the TOD. We relate the observed effects to consequences for soliton transmission and operation of other solitary-pulse lasers.