Spectral sculpting a fiber laser via intracavity spatial light modulator

Abstract

Mode-locked fiber lasers have been intensely studied and utilized in applications as sources of ultrafast pulses during last decade as a result of their many practical features [1]. However, their complicated nonlinear dynamics render performance optimization quite difficult [1-3]. Spectral filtering and dispersion delay lines play a prominent role in most of the mode-locking regimes, including stretched-pulse, similariton. all-normal dispersion. However, there are practical limitations to optimizing mode-locked operation since the range of spectral filter profiles (Gaussian. rectangular, parabolic, etc.) or dispersion compensators available in practice is quite limited. At an)’ rate, they are static and cannot be modified once placed into the cavity. The application of a filter with dynamically reconfigurable spectral transmission profile can potentially lead the way to a new level of performance of the well-known mode-locking regimes.