Real-time Characterization of Transient Double-Soliton Dynamics in a Mode-Locked Fiber Laser

TL;DR

This study uses dispersive Fourier transformation to observe real-time spectral dynamics of double-soliton states in a mode-locked fiber laser, revealing detailed evolution processes and different formation types.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed real-time spectral evolution analysis of double-soliton states in a fiber laser using dispersive Fourier transformation.

Findings

Identified two types of DS state evolution: splitting and simultaneous formation.

Observed relaxation oscillations, beating, and spectral broadening during DS evolution.

Captured pulse dynamics over 10 seconds, equivalent to ~260 million roundtrips.

Abstract

By means of the emerging Dispersive Fourier transformation technique, we captured the pulse-resolved spectral evolution dynamics of the double-soliton (DS) states in a single-walled carbon nanotube based Er-doped fiber laser from the initial fluctuations, monitoring the evolution process up to 10 seconds (corresponding to ~260 million roundtrips) discontinuously. Two distinctly different evolutionary types of DS states have been investigated in detail: splitting from one pulse and forming simultaneously. Relaxation oscillations, beating, transient bound state, spectral broadening and pulse interval dynamics have been observed in the evolution process of the DS operation. Our study will be helpful for the further research of mode-locking operation.