Dual-wavelength 10-GHz actively mode-locked erbium fiber laser

Abstract

We present the first 10 GHz dual-wavelength actively mode-locked erbium fiber laser (ML-EFL). Dual-wavelength operation is achieved by introducing two intracavity branches, each containing a tunable optical bandpass filter. A variable output coupler combining the filter branches also equalizes the effective cavity gain for the two wavelengths, By adjusting the filters and the coupler, dual-wavelength ML-EFL operation is achieved at different wavelengths. Nearly transform-limited, 4- and 6.2-ps-wide 10-GHz soliton pulses are e.g., simultaneously generated at 1542.3 and 1563.8 nm, respectively. The experimental results agree very well with analytical calculations.