Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice
Abstract Harmonic mode-locking, realized actively or passively, is an effective technique for increasing the repetition rate of ultrafast lasers. It is critically important to understand how a harmonically mode-locked pulse train responds to external perturbations and noise, so as to make sure that...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Light: Science & Applications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01736-3 |
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| author | Xiaocong Wang Benhai Wang Wenbin He Xintong Zhang Qi Huang Zhiyuan Huang Xin Jiang Meng Pang Philip. St. J. Russell |
| author_facet | Xiaocong Wang Benhai Wang Wenbin He Xintong Zhang Qi Huang Zhiyuan Huang Xin Jiang Meng Pang Philip. St. J. Russell |
| author_sort | Xiaocong Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Harmonic mode-locking, realized actively or passively, is an effective technique for increasing the repetition rate of ultrafast lasers. It is critically important to understand how a harmonically mode-locked pulse train responds to external perturbations and noise, so as to make sure that it is stable and resistant to noise. Here, in a series of carefully designed experiments, we elucidate the retiming dynamics of laser pulses generated in a soliton fiber laser harmonically mode-locked at GHz frequencies to the acoustic resonance in a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) core. We characterize the self-driven optomechanical lattice, which is distributed along the PCF and provides the structure that supports harmonic mode-locking, using a homodyne setup. We reveal that, after an abrupt perturbation, each soliton in the lattice undergoes damped oscillatory retiming within its trapping potential, while the retiming is strongly coupled to soliton dissipation. In addition, we show, through statistical analysis of the intra-cavity pulse spacing, how the trapping potentials are effective for suppressing timing jitter. The measurements and the theory developed in this work lay the groundwork for studies of the general stability and noise performance of harmonically mode-locked lasers as well as providing valuable insight into generic multi-pulse phenomena in mode-locked lasers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-151cf17b356f4875a668c13f4ab3d5a3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2047-7538 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Light: Science & Applications |
| spelling | doaj-art-151cf17b356f4875a668c13f4ab3d5a32025-02-09T12:55:00ZengNature Publishing GroupLight: Science & Applications2047-75382025-02-0114111010.1038/s41377-024-01736-3Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical latticeXiaocong Wang0Benhai Wang1Wenbin He2Xintong Zhang3Qi Huang4Zhiyuan Huang5Xin Jiang6Meng Pang7Philip. St. J. Russell8Department of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of ChinaRussell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesRussell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of ChinaRussell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesState Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics and CAS Center for Excellence in Ultra-intense Laser Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics CASRussell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Optics and Optical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of ChinaRussell Centre for Advanced Lightwave Science, Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of SciencesAbstract Harmonic mode-locking, realized actively or passively, is an effective technique for increasing the repetition rate of ultrafast lasers. It is critically important to understand how a harmonically mode-locked pulse train responds to external perturbations and noise, so as to make sure that it is stable and resistant to noise. Here, in a series of carefully designed experiments, we elucidate the retiming dynamics of laser pulses generated in a soliton fiber laser harmonically mode-locked at GHz frequencies to the acoustic resonance in a photonic crystal fiber (PCF) core. We characterize the self-driven optomechanical lattice, which is distributed along the PCF and provides the structure that supports harmonic mode-locking, using a homodyne setup. We reveal that, after an abrupt perturbation, each soliton in the lattice undergoes damped oscillatory retiming within its trapping potential, while the retiming is strongly coupled to soliton dissipation. In addition, we show, through statistical analysis of the intra-cavity pulse spacing, how the trapping potentials are effective for suppressing timing jitter. The measurements and the theory developed in this work lay the groundwork for studies of the general stability and noise performance of harmonically mode-locked lasers as well as providing valuable insight into generic multi-pulse phenomena in mode-locked lasers.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01736-3 |
| spellingShingle | Xiaocong Wang Benhai Wang Wenbin He Xintong Zhang Qi Huang Zhiyuan Huang Xin Jiang Meng Pang Philip. St. J. Russell Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice Light: Science & Applications |
| title | Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice |
| title_full | Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice |
| title_fullStr | Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice |
| title_full_unstemmed | Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice |
| title_short | Retiming dynamics of harmonically mode-locked laser solitons in a self-driven optomechanical lattice |
| title_sort | retiming dynamics of harmonically mode locked laser solitons in a self driven optomechanical lattice |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41377-024-01736-3 |
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