title: Self-mode-locked 2 μm Tm(3+)-doped double-clad fiber laser with a simple linear cavity.
abstract: We demonstrate the self-mode-locking operation of a thulium (Tm)-doped fiber laser (TDFL) with a simple linear cavity. Since the laser cavity does not include any specific mode-locker, we experimentally investigate and analyze the self-mode-locking mechanism. The mode-locking operation is attributed to the combination of the self-phase modulation effect and the weak saturable absorption of the high-concentration Tm-doped fiber. The mode-locked TDFL operates at a central wavelength of 1985.5 nm with the 3 dB spectral linewidth of 0.18 nm. The self-mode-locking generates a large pulse energy of 32.7 nJ with a pulsed repetition rate of 2.05 MHz and is stable with a radio-frequency signal-to-noise ratio of more than 54 dB. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first demonstration of a 2 μm Tm-doped fiber laser mode-locked by such technique.
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhengqian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yizhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Huihui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Duanduan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhiping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D004735:Energy Transfer; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013932:Thulium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D013932:Thulium