Generalized quartic dispersion Kerr soliton generation from a fiber laser

Area of Science:

• Nonlinear optics
• Ultrafast photonics
• Fiber laser technology

Background:

• Generalized quartic dispersion Kerr solitons (GQKSs) are solutions to the generalized Schrödinger equation, incorporating Kerr nonlinearity with quadratic and quartic dispersion.
• Pure quartic solitons (PQSs) are a special case of GQKSs, observed with negative quartic-only dispersion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first experimental generation of GQKSs from a fiber laser.
• To investigate the temporal and spectral characteristics of GQKSs.
• To explore the formation mechanisms of different GQKS states.

Main Methods:

• Experimental generation of GQKSs using a fiber laser.
• Investigation of temporal and spectral properties.
• Engineering of quadratic and quartic dispersion values to observe different soliton states.

Main Results:

• Experimental generation of GQKSs achieved.
• Temporal and spectral features found to be dependent on quadratic dispersion, pump power, and intra-cavity birefringence.
• Output spectra flatness and sideband numbers influenced by pump power and intra-cavity phase delay.
• Diverse GQKS states, including harmonic mode-locking, multiple solitons, and soliton bunches, observed and formation mechanisms illustrated.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrated the experimental generation and characterization of GQKSs in a fiber laser.
• Findings highlight the significant influence of dispersion parameters, pump power, and birefringence on GQKS properties and dynamics.
• The observed diverse soliton states and their formation mechanisms provide insights into GQKS evolution and potential applications.