title: Automated mode locking in nonlinear polarization rotation fiber lasers by detection of a discontinuous jump in the polarization state.
abstract: A strategy to align a mode-locked fiber laser with nonlinear polarization rotation is presented. This strategy is based on measurements of the output polarization state. It is shown that, as the angle of a motorized polarization controller inside the cavity is swept, the laser eventually reaches a mode-locked regime and the values of the Stokes parameters undergo an abrupt change. The sensing of this sudden variation is thus used to detect the mode-locking condition and a feedback mechanism drives the alignment of the polarization controller to force mode locking.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivier
authors.forename: Marc-Daniel
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Gagnon
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piché