Self-sweeping ytterbium-doped fiber laser based on a fiber saturable absorber

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a novel self-sweeping ytterbium-doped fiber laser utilizing a fiber saturable absorber, with controllable sweeping parameters and new self-pulse phenomena, advancing understanding of self-sweeping mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a pump-free ytterbium-doped fiber as a fiber saturable absorber for self-sweeping lasers, revealing new self-pulse behaviors and control methods.

Findings

Self-sweeping generated without pump in ytterbium-doped fiber

Sweeping rate and range controlled by pump power

Observation of a new self-pulse signal

Abstract

Generally speaking, the self-sweeping effect relies on the dynamical grating formed in a gain fiber. Here, the normal self-sweeping was generated in a pump-free ytterbium-doped fiber which serves as a fiber saturable absorber and is introduced to the laser cavity by a circulator in this experiment. The sweeping rate and the sweeping range alter as usual, both of which can be controlled by the pump power. Further, a new self-pulse signal is observed and discussed in this work, which shows the difference of the self-sweeping effects between active fiber and fiber saturable absorber.