We report robust vector soliton bunches arising in a passively mode-locked fiber laser based on carbon nanotube (CNT). By introducing a polarization-route-assisted module (PRAM) and finely adjusting the cavity birefringence, the soliton bunches can be flexibly manipulated to operate with controllable soliton numbers and positions. Moreover, the potential bandwidth resource provided by the concept of soliton bunches for the ease of breaks a new path for the enhancement of data-carrying capacity. Our research is helpful to extend the theory of vector soliton dynamics in fiber lasers and promotes the promising application in optical communication systems.

We investigate polarization-locked vector solitons (PLVSs) arising in an all-polarization-maintaining (PM) soliton fiber laser mode-locked by a carbon nanotube. The laser can operate stably in both Q-switched and mode-locked states with different pump power. Under the PLVS condition, we observe a string of peak-dip-pair sidebands after polarization-resolving measurement, indicating the strong and regular energy exchange between the two polarized orthogonal components, which evidently distinguishes this all-PM fiber laser from conventional single-mode fiber-based vector cavities. By dispersion compensating, vector dissipative solitons are also successfully obtained. The cavity structure is greatly simplified and stabilized by a hybrid fiber component and shows excellent long-term stability.

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