All-normal dispersion fiber laser with a bandwidth tunable fiber-based spectral filter

Abstract

We investigate numerically and experimentally an all-fiber, bandwidth tunable spectral filter comprising birefringent fibers. The spectral bandwidth tunability of the filter is based on the compensation of birefringence in polarization maintaining fibers. This unique filter allows mode-locked operation of a fiber oscillator with the ability to generate distinct laser modes with different output spectral shapes and pulse evolutions.