Diverse output states from an all-normal dispersion ytterbium-doped fiber laser: Q-switch, dissipative soliton resonance, and noise-like pulse

An all-normal-dispersion ytterbium-doped fiber ring laser has been demonstrated, with different operation regimes: Q-switch, CW mode-locking and noise-like pulses, depending on the pump power and suitable orientation of the polarization controllers. As a transition between Q-switch and CW mode-locking, Q-switched mode-locking has also been observed. Moreover, our experiment shows that the CW mode-locking operation is the result of dissipative soliton resonance in the all-normal-dispersion fiber laser without external filter, which is a new way to generate high-energy pulses. This fiber laser with diverse outputs has many potential applications, and is helpful to investigate laser dynamics.

► Different operation regimes: Q-switch, CW mode-locking and noise-like were obtained.
► CW mode-locking operation is the result of dissipative soliton resonance.
► All-normal-dispersion laser without external filter is a new way to generate high-energy pulses.
► Noise-like pulse with 127 nm bandwidth, the largest bandwidth to the best of our knowledge, was generated.