Electro-optically gated in-line saturable absorbers for fibre lasers

Abstract

This work presents for the first time a study of a fibre laser mode-locked due to a carbon-nanotube-based saturable absorber whose parameters could be controlled by a joined action of optical radiation and electric field. Combination of different types of control (optical and electrical) allowed variation of dynamics of the saturable absorber parameters and greater choice of pulsed generation regimes. We demonstrated the possibility of live switching of laser generation between various pulsed regimes through combined electro-optical action on the polymer-free carbon nanotube film.

Methods Controlling Radiation Parameters of Mode-Locked All-Fiberized Lasers

“…Essentially, this is equivalent to electronic control. A different approach was demonstrated in [48][49][50] where it is shown that an ionic liquid in contact with a carbon-nanotube saturable absorber…”

“…Essentially, this is equivalent to electronic control. A different approach was demonstrated in [48][49][50] where it is shown that an ionic liquid in contact with a carbon-nanotube saturable absorber It must be mentioned here that non-semiconductor material-based saturable absorbers may be also electrically controllable (such as graphene-based super-capacitors [41][42][43]), and not only in the free-space configuration, but also in the "all-fibre" format [44,45]. Moreover, the "all-fibre" format was demonstrated for variation in the properties of a graphene saturable absorber driven by separate optical radiation [46,47].…”

“…Essentially, this is equivalent to electronic control. A different approach was demonstrated in [48][49][50] where it is shown that an ionic liquid in contact with a carbon-nanotube saturable absorber (CNSA) may provide electrically driven control over the CNSA properties by the application of voltage to the ionic liquid.…”

“…Nevertheless, these methods, in their majority, do not allow dynamic control over output parameters of MLFLs; the interaction of radiation with introduced objects inside or close to the core is stationary. Rare exceptions are those objects (substances) whose properties may be changed by electric signals [48][49][50].…”