16-wavelength 10-GHz actively mode-locked fiber laser with demultiplexed outputs anchored on the ITU-T grid

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a 16-wavelength polarization-maintaining fiber laser, actively mode-locked at 10 GHz. The fiber laser includes a 16-channel 100-GHz-spaced arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) in the laser cavity; therefore, the outputs are demultiplexed and the lasing wavelengths are anchored at the ITU-T grid. The multiwavelength lasing has been achieved by cooling the erbium-doped fiber in liquid nitrogen. Generation of simultaneous multiwavelength short pulses was demonstrated.