Numerical modeling of mode-locked fiber lasers with a fiber-based saturable-absorber

We report fiber laser simulations with a fiber compatible, self-focusing, saturable absorber (SA) device. The SA device consists of two tapered fiber ends separated by a bulk, nonlinear medium. An optical beam transmitted from one tapered fiber end, propagate through the nonlinear medium (chalcogenide glass As40Se60) and couples back into the other tapered fiber end. Pulse propagation in the fiber laser cavity is performed using the Split Step Method. Stable pulses are generated with energies around 0.3 nJ and a transform limited pulse width around 200fs.