Team reports on ultrafast laser state active controlling based on anisotropic quasi-1D material
by
Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics And Physics
Tunable ultrafast lasers with adjustable parameters, such as wavelength, intensity, pulse width and laser states are desirable as next-generation intelligent light sources. Due to complex nonlinear effects within the ultrafast system, it is challenging for laser state active controlling (LSAC) in ultrafast fiber lasers, especially for passive mode-locking, in a convenient and controllable manner.
Anisotropic low-dimensional materials with reduced in-plane symmetry exhibit polarization-dependent properties, providing additional degrees of freedom in compact tunable photonic devices.
In a new paper published in Light: Science & Applications, a team of scientists led by Professor Pu Zhou from the College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, China, Professor Kai Zhang from Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, and co-workers has achieved the LSAC between conventional soliton (CS) and noise-like pulse (NLP) by polarization control based on a quasi-one-dimensional layered material switcher.
The polarization-sensitive nonlinear optical response facilitates the Ta2PdS6-based mode-lock laser to sustain two laser states, i.e., CS and NLP. The laser state was switchable in the single fiber laser with a mechanism revealed by numerical simulation. Digital coding was further demonstrated in this platform by employing the laser as a codable light source.
Polarization control is a practical approach to adjusting the intracavity parameters and controlling the operating laser states.
Summarizing the main findings from the tunable ultrafast laser, the scientists say, "(1) the anisotropic quasi-one-dimensional layered material Ta2PdS6 was utilized as a saturable absorber to modulate the nonlinear parameters effectively in an ultrafast system by polarization-dependent absorption; (2) the polarization-sensitive nonlinear optical response facilitates the Ta2PdS6-based mode-lock laser to sustain two distinct types of laser states, i.e., CS and NLP; (3) the laser state was switchable in the single fiber laser with a mechanism revealed by numerical simulation; and (4) digital coding was further demonstrated in this platform by employing the laser as a codable light source."
"The controlled and stable switching of distinct pulsed laser modes in a single ultrafast fiber laser system represents significant advances in compact ultrafast photonics, which offers prospects of applications such as communications coding and optical switching."
More information:
Zixin Yang et al, Ultrafast laser state active controlling based on anisotropic quasi-1D material, Light: Science & Applications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41377-024-01423-3
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