Internal nonlinear transmission in an Yb mode-locked fiber laser through bifurcations

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex pulsed regimes of an ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser, analyzing how nonlinear amplitude modulation influences pulse dynamics and regime transitions through combined average and time-resolved measurements.

Contribution

It provides a systematic experimental analysis linking nonlinear amplitude modulation to dynamical regime transitions in a mode-locked fiber laser.

Findings

Identification of different pulsed regimes influenced by nonlinear effects

Correlation between average power and fast time-scale dynamics

Measurement of nonlinear transmission related to regime changes

Abstract

Mode-locked fiber lasers are rich dynamical systems that may present several different types of pulsed operating modes, depending on external control parameters such as pump power. A systematic experimental characterization of such regimes is a challenging problem. Here single pulse regimes of ytterbium mode-locked fiber laser are explored and related to the nonlinear amplitude modulation affecting the pulses inside the laser cavity. To understand the full dynamics of this system, average power measurements (slow time scale) have been performed and compared to simultaneous time-resolved measurements (fast time scale). The average nonlinear transmission resulting from the amplitude modulation is measured, allowing to relate the transitions between dynamical regimes to the system's nonlinearity.