Dispersion-managed mode-locked Tm:ZBLAN fiber lasers

Abstract

We demonstrated a dispersion-managed 2 µm ultrafast laser based on Tm:ZBLAN fiber. By controlling intracavity net dispersion using passive fibers, we observed soliton, stretched-pulse, and dissipative-soliton mode-locked operations. In particular, the broadest output spectrum with a bandwidth at 30 dB below the peak of 320 nm and a pulse duration of 61 fs were obtained at a net dispersion of -0.010 ps². These results revealed the relationship between net dispersion and spectral bandwidth in Tm:ZBLAN mode-locked lasers. To accurately estimate the net dispersion of the cavity, the dispersion of each fiber in the cavity was experimentally determined using a cross-correlation method with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.