Open AccessMode-locked and Q-switched mode-locked fiber laser based on a ferroferric-oxide nanoparticles saturable absorber
Author(s) -
Peiyun Cheng,
Yueqing Du,
Mengmeng Han,
Xuewen Shu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.391006
Subject(s) - saturable absorption , fiber laser , materials science , optics , polarization controller , mode locking , pulse duration , ultrashort pulse , laser , optoelectronics , wavelength , physics
We demonstrated an ultrafast erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) based on ferroferric-oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles as a saturable absorber (SA). The investigated SA was based on magnetic fluid deposited on the end face of a fiber ferrule connector. When the SA was inserted into an EDFL cavity, a stable 2.93 ps mode-locked pulse can be achieved by adjusting the intra-cavity polarization controller. The pulse had a central wavelength of 1572.39 nm and a 3 dB bandwidth of 1.39 nm. We also obtained Q-switched mode-locked pulses at 1593.4 nm. The repetition frequency and the temporal width of the Q-switched pulse envelope varied with the pump power. When the pump power reached 225 mW, the maximum average output power and the pulse envelope energy were up to 4.51 mW and 235.5 nJ. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that mode-locked and Q-switched mode-locked pulses have been obtained in a fiber laser based on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles.