Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1536964 | Optics Communications | 2011 | 4 Pages |
We demonstrate a tunable and switchable dual-wavelength passively mode-locked fiber ring laser in the anomalous dispersion regime that generates high-energy pulses at a sub-100 kHz repetition rate. The nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) technique is employed in this configuration to allow for passively mode-locked operation. By exploiting the intensity-dependent loss caused by NPR, the mode competition could be efficiently alleviated. Moreover, taking advantage of the intrinsic spectral filter induced by the intracavity birefringence, the dual-wavelength separations as well as the wavelength lasing locations could be flexibly tuned by properly rotating the polarization controller. With a repetition rate of 85.8 kHz, the laser delivers the single pulse energy of 198 nJ at a pump power of 250 mW. The combination of high per-pulse energy and flexible tunability in this fiber laser is useful for practical applications.