Fiber Laser Systems: Novel Concepts, Designs, Capabilities, and Applications

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2023) | Viewed by 6144

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Nonlinear Photonics Laboratory, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
2. Quantum Cryogenic Electronics Laboratory, Novosibirsk State Technical University, 630073 Novosibirsk, Russia
Interests: laser physics; fiber lasers; nonlinear fiber optics; integrated fiber-optics devices; fiber laser systems for metrology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fiber lasers, as well as related fiber-optics devices and systems, have already been an incredibly popular field of research and development for decades. Nevertheless, the outstanding flexibility and variability of fiber-optics laser systems in terms of design, materials, principles of operation, and underlying physical phenomena makes them an endlessly interesting and promising subject matter for science and industry. We have observed and participated in the continuous establishment of qualitatively new methods, designs, principles, and applications in the aforenamed field. This Special Issue aims at the collection and dissemination of very new concepts, designs, applications of fiber-optics laser systems and related matters in the form of original research papers and communications. We will also appreciate reviews from reputable researchers on the relevant subject matters that ingeniously combine the tutorial level for young scientists with the state-of-the-art level for advanced researchers.

The topics of this Special Issue include but are not limited to the following:

  • Novel designs of fiber laser systems;
  • Novel materials for fiber laser systems;
  • Novel principles of operation of fiber laser systems;
  • Novel capabilities of fiber lasers in terms of achievable parameters;
  • Novel methods of static and dynamic control over lasing regimes and parameters in fiber lasers;
  • Novel types of fiber-optics elements and integrated fiber-optics devices;
  • Novel applications of fiber laser systems;
  • Novel concepts of using fiber-optics systems for sensing and metrology;
  • Novel concepts of using fiber-optics systems for physical layer security in telecom.

Dr. Boris Nyushkov
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • concept and design of fiber laser systems
  • control over lasing regimes and parameters
  • nonlinear phenomena in fiber laser systems
  • integrated fiber-optics devices
  • optical sensing with fiber laser systems
  • fiber laser systems for metrology
  • fiber laser systems for physical layer security in telecom
  • novel applications of fiber laser systems

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 1817 KiB  
Article
Enhanced bi-LSTM for Modeling Nonlinear Amplification Dynamics of Ultra-Short Optical Pulses
by Karina Saraeva and Anastasia Bednyakova
Photonics 2024, 11(2), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11020126 - 29 Jan 2024
Viewed by 780
Abstract
Fiber amplifiers are essential devices for optical communication and laser physics, yet the intricate nonlinear dynamics they exhibit pose significant challenges for numerical modeling. In this study, we propose using a bi-LSTM neural network to predict the evolution of optical pulses along a [...] Read more.
Fiber amplifiers are essential devices for optical communication and laser physics, yet the intricate nonlinear dynamics they exhibit pose significant challenges for numerical modeling. In this study, we propose using a bi-LSTM neural network to predict the evolution of optical pulses along a fiber amplifier, accounting for the dynamically changing gain profile and the Raman scattering. The neural network can learn information from both past and future data, adhering to the fundamental principles of physics governing pulse evolution over time. We conducted experiments with a diverse range of initial pulse parameters, covering the variation in the ratio between dispersion and nonlinear length, ranging from 0.25 to 250. This deliberate choice has resulted in a wide variety of propagation regimes, ranging from smooth attractor-like to noise-like behaviors. Through a comprehensive evaluation of the neural network performance, we demonstrated its ability to generalize across the various propagation regimes. Notably, our results showcase a relative speedup of 2000 times for evaluating the intensity evolution map using our proposed neural network compared to the NLSE numerical solution employing the split-step Fourier method. Full article
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9 pages, 1188 KiB  
Article
Dispersive Fourier Transform Spectrometer Based on Mode-Locked Er-Doped Fiber Laser for Ammonia Sensing
by Nikolay A. Aprelov, Ilya D. Vatnik, Denis S. Kharenko and Alexey A. Redyuk
Photonics 2024, 11(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11010045 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1025
Abstract
Dispersive Fourier transform (DFT) has emerged as a powerful technique, enabling the transformation of spectral information from an optical pulse into a temporal waveform. This advancement facilitates the implementation of absorption spectroscopy using a single-pixel photodetector and a pulsed laser, particularly effective when [...] Read more.
Dispersive Fourier transform (DFT) has emerged as a powerful technique, enabling the transformation of spectral information from an optical pulse into a temporal waveform. This advancement facilitates the implementation of absorption spectroscopy using a single-pixel photodetector and a pulsed laser, particularly effective when operating on wavelengths near the absorption lines of the gas under study. This paper introduces a DFT-spectrometer employing a mode-locked tunable fiber laser with the central wavelength of 1531.6 nm. We demonstrate fast acquisition NH3 absorption spectroscopy with a 0.2 nm spectral resolution, achieved through the utilization of the HITRAN database for estimating ammonia concentrations. Alongside the successful demonstration of NH3 absorption spectroscopy, we explore practical limiting factors influencing the system’s performance. Furthermore, we discuss potential avenues for enhancing sensitivity and spectral resolution, aiming to enable more robust and accurate gas sensing applications. Full article
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10 pages, 5139 KiB  
Article
Stationary High-Energy Pulse Generation in Er-Based Fiber Lasers via Quasi-Synchronous Gain Modulation
by Boris Nyushkov, Aleksey Ivanenko, Natalia Koliada and Sergey Smirnov
Photonics 2024, 11(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics11010037 - 30 Dec 2023
Viewed by 876
Abstract
We demonstrate the feasibility of triggering stationary high-energy pulse generation in Er-doped fiber lasers at ~1.5 µm via quasi-synchronous gain modulation. This simple method relies upon the sine-wave modulation of pump power at a frequency slightly surpassing the intrinsic frequency spacing of longitudinal [...] Read more.
We demonstrate the feasibility of triggering stationary high-energy pulse generation in Er-doped fiber lasers at ~1.5 µm via quasi-synchronous gain modulation. This simple method relies upon the sine-wave modulation of pump power at a frequency slightly surpassing the intrinsic frequency spacing of longitudinal modes in the laser cavity. This was previously implemented only in Yb-doped fiber lasers at ~1.1 µm. Here, for the first time, we experimentally validate the pulse shaping capabilities of this method also in Er fiber lasers, which, unlike Yb fiber lasers, have a three-level laser energy diagram (when pumped at 0.98 µm) with a very long-lived (10 ms) upper laser level. The feasibility of the method was validated both for normal and anomalous intracavity dispersion, which was not available in previous implementations in Yb fiber lasers at ~1.1 µm. Thus, the stable generation of a regular train of discrete nanosecond pulses with an energy of up to 180 nJ was achieved in our test-bed Er fiber laser upon the quasi-synchronous sine-wave modulation of the pump power at 0.98 µm. The results of our study testify to the general applicability of this affordable and reliable method for high-energy pulse generation in various rare-earth-doped fiber lasers. Full article
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11 pages, 1126 KiB  
Article
Accuracy of Holographic Real-Time Mode Decomposition Methods Used for Multimode Fiber Laser Emission
by Denis S. Kharenko, Alexander A. Revyakin, Mikhail D. Gervaziev, Mario Ferraro, Fabio Mangini and Sergey A. Babin
Photonics 2023, 10(11), 1245; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10111245 - 9 Nov 2023
Viewed by 976
Abstract
Mode decomposition is a powerful tool for analyzing the modal content of optical multimode radiation. There are several basic principles on which this tool can be implemented, including near-field intensity analysis, machine learning, and spatial correlation filtering (SCF). The latter is meant to [...] Read more.
Mode decomposition is a powerful tool for analyzing the modal content of optical multimode radiation. There are several basic principles on which this tool can be implemented, including near-field intensity analysis, machine learning, and spatial correlation filtering (SCF). The latter is meant to be applied to a spatial light modulator and allows one to obtain information on the mode amplitudes and phases of temporally stable beams by only analyzing experimental data. As a matter of fact, techniques based on SCF have already been successfully used in several studies, e.g., for investigating the Kerr beam self-cleaning effect and determining the modal content of Raman fiber lasers. Still, such techniques have a major drawback, i.e., they require acquisition times as long as several minutes, thus being unfit for the investigation of fast mode distribution dynamics. In this paper, we numerically study three types of digital holograms, which permits us to determine, at the same time, the parameters of a set of modes of multimode beams. Because all modes are simultaneously characterized, the processing speed of these real-time mode decomposition methods in experimental realizations will be limited only by the acquisition rate of imaging devices, e.g., state-of-the-art CCD camera performance may provide decomposing rates above 1 kHz. Here, we compare the accuracy of conjugate symmetric extension (CSE), double-phase holograms (DPH), and phase correlation filtering (PCF) methods in retrieving the mode amplitudes of optical beams composed of either three, six, or ten modes. In order to provide a statistical analysis of the outcomes of these three methods, we propose a novel algorithm for the effective enumeration of mode parameters, which covers all possible beam modal compositions. Our results show that the best accuracy is achieved when the amplitude-phase mode distribution associated with multiple frequency PCF techniques is encoded by Jacobi–Anger expansion. Full article
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9 pages, 2465 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study of Ultra-Narrow-Mode Generation in Random Fiber Lasers Based on Different Fiber Types
by Ilya D. Vatnik, Oleg A. Gorbunov and Dmitry V. Churkin
Photonics 2023, 10(11), 1225; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10111225 - 1 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 859
Abstract
We studied the properties of ultra-narrow spectral modes, appearing in random distributed feedback Raman fiber lasers, for different fibers building up a laser cavity. Fibers with different nonlinear coefficients and dispersion were employed to obtain the generation. Ultra-narrow modes were observed in all [...] Read more.
We studied the properties of ultra-narrow spectral modes, appearing in random distributed feedback Raman fiber lasers, for different fibers building up a laser cavity. Fibers with different nonlinear coefficients and dispersion were employed to obtain the generation. Ultra-narrow modes were observed in all fibers except those with the smallest dispersion. We measured the mode parameters, such as the average lifetime, as well as the maximum averaged output power that can support the ultra-narrow generation. The comparison revealed that the modes were more pronounced in high-dispersion fibers. Based on this comparative study, we conclude with the importance of the nonlinearity-dispersion interplay for regime stability. Full article
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15 pages, 6551 KiB  
Article
Research on Very-Low-Frequency Hydroacoustic Acoustic Velocity Sensor Based on DFB Fiber Laser
by Chenxia Ruan, Mo Chen, Yang Yu, Yichi Zhang, Jianfei Wang, Zhenrong Zhang, Junbo Yang, Shuolong Zhu and Boyuan Qu
Photonics 2023, 10(4), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10040463 - 18 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1103
Abstract
We have conducted a study on a very-low-frequency acoustic-velocity sensor which is based on a cantilever of distributed-feedback (DFB) fiber laser immersed in castor oil. A mathematical model of the frequency dependent response of the proposed sensor to the acoustic pressure signal influenced [...] Read more.
We have conducted a study on a very-low-frequency acoustic-velocity sensor which is based on a cantilever of distributed-feedback (DFB) fiber laser immersed in castor oil. A mathematical model of the frequency dependent response of the proposed sensor to the acoustic pressure signal influenced by the fluid viscosity is established. We have fabricated the proposed sensor and conducted experimental measurements in the standing wave tube. The results show that the sensor has an average phase sensitivity of −179.5 dB (0 dB = 1 rad/μPa) with ±1.45 dB fluctuation over the frequency range of 20–38 Hz. It has good cosine directivity with a directivity index of 32.5 dB and axial maximum asymmetry of 0.4 dB. The sensor presents promising applications for detecting very-low-frequency underwater acoustic signals. Full article
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