Automatic feedback control of an Er-doped fiber laser with an intracavity loss modulator

Suppression of Q-switching instabilities with an actively controlled intracavity loss modulator is demonstrated in an Er-doped waveguide laser that is mode locked with a slow saturable absorber at repetition rates of as much as 100 MHz. By automatic gain control in the feedback loop, stable mode locking is achieved over the entire parameter range of the laser. This approach renders laser stabilization independent of the characteristics of the gain medium and intracavity power. The pulse-shaping dynamics is not affected by the presence of the intracavity loss modulator.