Double-pumped multiwavelength fiber optical parametric oscillator based on a Sagnac loop filter

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optics
• Nonlinear Optics
• Fiber Lasers

Background:

• Fiber optical parametric oscillators (FOPOs) are crucial for generating multiple optical wavelengths.
• Controlling and stabilizing multiwavelength output remains a key challenge in FOPO development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a double-pumped ring cavity multiwavelength fiber optical parametric oscillator (MW-FOPO).
• To investigate the performance characteristics, including wavelength stability and power fluctuations, of the proposed MW-FOPO.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a highly nonlinear dispersion-shifted fiber (HNL-DSF) as the gain medium.
• Implementing a polarization-maintained fiber Sagnac loop filter as a comb-like filter for wavelength selection.
• Employing a double-pumping configuration to enhance parametric gain and control oscillation.

Main Results:

• Successfully achieved 22-wavelength lasing within the 1541 nm to 1558 nm range.
• Demonstrated a stable output with a ripple of less than ±2.5 dB.
• Observed a consistent wavelength spacing of approximately 0.8 nm.

Conclusions:

• The double-pumped MW-FOPO configuration provides a stable and efficient method for generating multiwavelength outputs.
• The Sagnac loop filter effectively controls the lasing spectrum, enabling precise wavelength spacing.
• Further analysis confirmed the power stability and presented a comparative study with single-pumped configurations.