We propose and demonstrate a novel dynamically tunable fiber-based Lyot filter for the realization of a dual-wavelength mode-locked fiber laser, operating at center wavelengths of 1535 nm and 1564 nm. The same laser cavity can also be operated in a single-wavelength mode-locked regime with a wavelength tuning range of 30 nm, from 1532 nm to 1562 nm. The proposed dynamically tunable Lyot-filter provides a simple setup for laser mode-locking using a single laser cavity design to generate dual-wavelength pulses, with the flexibility to also allow the generation of single-wavelength pulses with a continuously-tunable center wavelength.

We propose and demonstrate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, a thermally controlled all polarization-maintaining (PM) fiber Lyot filter. This filter is implemented in an all-PM mode-locked fiber laser to achieve wavelength tunability. When operating in the single-wavelength tunable mode, the center wavelength can be tuned across a range from 1546 nm to 1571 nm. Furthermore, the laser can also operate in a dual-wavelength mode with center wavelengths at 1545 nm and 1571 nm. The temperature sensitivity achieved in our all-PM fiber Lyot filter is 0.602 nm/°C, which is over 46 times higher than other fiber-based filters such as a fiber Bragg grating filter (0.013 nm/°C). This highly stable and versatile wavelength-tunable all-PM fiber mode-locked laser is a promising source for various applications requiring wavelength tunability and/or dual-wavelength output, such as coherent Raman microscopy and dual-comb spectroscopy.

We experimentally demonstrated a high repetition rate harmonic mode-locked fiber laser with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and super mode suppression ratio. A novel approach using a laser with a high fundamental repetition rate and low harmonic order was presented. 2.5 GHz harmonic mode-locking from an Yb-doped fiber laser was realized with a short cavity length corresponding to a 167 MHz fundamental repetition rate. The laser operated at anomalous net dispersion regime and generated soliton-like pulses at 1050 nm. At the harmonic order of 15th, the laser had a stable output of 773 fs at 2.5 GHz with the average power of 48 mW under a subwatt pump power of 406 mW, and the time jitter was 2 ps. A high RF SNR over 70 dB was measured. A super mode suppression ratio was confirmed larger than 60 dB. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest SNR and super mode suppression ratio achieved in harmonic mode-locked fiber lasers with an over 2 GHz repetition rate.

A compact cavity ring-down spectrometer aimed at the detection of trace amounts of radiocarbon (¹⁴C) in biomedical samples is demonstrated. Rapid sampling, as required for large scale studies, is made possible by modifications to a CHNS elemental analyzer. After conversion of the carbon content of a sample into CO₂, spectral analysis using a high-finesse cavity in conjunction with a quantum cascade laser system reveals the ratio of ¹⁴CO₂ in relation to the stable isotopologues of ¹²C and ¹³C. Cooling and temperature stabilization of the cavity is achieved by a combination of liquid cooling and thermo-electric elements. The system is studied in terms of reproducibility, linearity, and sensitivity as well as contamination and memory effects of the sampling process. While the performance of the system is still limited mainly due to etaloning and other systematic effects, first spectra of biomedical samples, such as urine and feces, have been analyzed at ¹⁴C concentration levels above ten times natural abundance. Results are compared with those from a traditional liquid scintillation counter system. Possibilities for improvement of the sensitivity are discussed.

Traveling-wave optomechanical interactions, known as Brillouin interactions, have now been established as a powerful and versatile resource for photonic sources, sensors, and radio-frequency processors. However, established Brillouin-based interactions with sufficient interaction strengths involve short phonon lifetimes, which critically limit their performance for applications, including radio-frequency filtering and optomechanical storage devices. Here, we investigate a new paradigm of optomechanical interactions with tightly confined fundamental acoustic modes, which enables the unique and desirable combination of high optomechanical coupling, long phonon lifetimes, tunable phonon frequencies, and single-sideband amplification. Using sensitive four-wave mixing spectroscopy controlling for noise and spatial mode coupling, optomechanical interactions with long > 2 µ s phonon lifetimes and strong > 400 W − 1 m − 1 coupling are observed in a tapered fiber. In addition, we demonstrate novel phonon self-interference effects resulting from the unique combination of an axially varying device geometry with long phonon lifetimes. A generalized theoretical model, in excellent agreement with experiments, is developed with broad applicability to inhomogeneous optomechanical systems.

We numerically study a hybrid mode-locked holmium-doped fiber laser based on the coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations, by introducing nonlinear polarization rotation and saturable absorber in a same cavity. Maps of mode-locking states related to the intracavity wave-plates are created to evaluate the stability of mode-locking. Nonlinear polarization rotation imposes negative effect of linear absorption and even reverse saturable absorption to the pulses in the hybrid cavity. Saturable absorber compensates the negative effect from nonlinear polarization rotation, then consequently contributes to the stability of single-pulse mode-locking states. The extension of pulse time duration indicates the dynamic synergy between nonlinear polarization rotation and saturable absorber rather than the static combination mechanism of them.