Simple, low-cost and stable passive Q-switched thulium-doped fibre lasers (TDFLs) operating at 1892.4 and 1910.8 nm are demonstrated using 802 and 1552 nm pumping schemes, respectively, in conjunction with a multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) saturable absorber (SA). The MWCNTs composite is prepared by mixing the MWCNTs homogeneous solution into a dilute polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer solution before it is left to dry at room temperature to produce thin film. Then the film is sandwiched between two FC/PC fibre connectors and integrated into the laser cavity for Q-switching pulse generation. The pulse repetition rate of the TDFL configured with 802 nm pump can be tuned from 3.8 to 4.6 kHz, whereas the corresponding pulse width reduces from 22.1 to 18.3 μs as the pump power is increased from 187.3 to 194.2 mW. On the other hand, with 1552 nm pumping, the TDFL generates optical pulse train with a repetition rate ranging from 13.1 to 21.7 kHz with a pulse width of 11.5–7.9 μs when the pump power is tuned from 302.2 to 382.1 mW. A higher performance Q-switched TDFL is expected to be achieved with the optimisation of the MWCNT-SA saturable absorber and laser cavity.

References

1. 1)
  - 12. Zhang, L., Wang, Y.G., Yu, H.J., et al: ‘Passive mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser using a multi-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber’, Laser Phys., 2011, 21, pp. 1382–1386 (doi: 10.1134/S1054660X11150333).
2. 2)
  - 2. Jiang, M., Ma, H.F., Ren, Z.Y., et al: ‘A graphene Q-switched nanosecond Tm-doped fiber laser at 2 μm’, Laser Phys. Lett., 2013, 10, (5), p. 055103 (doi: 10.1088/1612-2011/10/5/055103).
3. 3)
  - 6. Kieu, K., Wise, F.: ‘Soliton thulium-doped fiber laser with carbon nanotube saturable absorber’, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett., 2009, 21, (3), pp. 128–130 (doi: 10.1109/LPT.2008.2008727).
4. 4)
  - 13. Ramadurai, K., Cromer, C.L., Lewis, L.A., et al: ‘High-performance carbon nanotube coatings for high-power laser radiometry’, J. Appl. Phys., 2008, 103, p. 013103 (doi: 10.1063/1.2825647).
5. 5)
  - 8. Ahmad, F., Harun, S., Nor, R., Zulkepely, N., Ahmad, H., Shum, P.: ‘A passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser based on a single-wall carbon nanotube polymer’, Chin. Phys. Lett., 2013, 30, (5), p. 054210 (doi: 10.1088/0256-307X/30/5/054210).
6. 6)
  - 3. Wang, Q., Geng, J., Jiang, Z., Luo, T., Jiang, S.: ‘Mode-locked Tm–Ho-codoped fiber laser at 2.06 µm’, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett., 2011, 23, pp. 682–684 (doi: 10.1109/LPT.2011.2123880).
7. 7)
  - 11. Dresselhaus, M.S., Dresselhaus, G., Saito, R., Jorio, A.: ‘Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes’, Phys. Rep., 2005, 409, (2), pp. 47–99 (doi: 10.1016/j.physrep.2004.10.006).
8. 8)
  - 9. Harun, S.W., Saidin, N., Zen, D.I.M., et al: ‘Self-starting harmonic mode-locked thulium-doped fiber laser with carbon nanotubes saturable absorber’, Chin. Phys. Lett., 2013, 30, (9), p. 094204, doi: i10.1088/0256–307x/30/9/094204 (doi: 10.1088/0256-307X/30/9/094204).
9. 9)
  - 14. Banhart, F.: ‘Irradiation effects in carbon nanostructures’, Rep. Prog. Phys., 1999, 62, p. 1181 (doi: 10.1088/0034-4885/62/8/201).
10. 10)
  - 5. Solodyankin, M.A., Obraztsova, E.D., Lobach, A.S., et al: ‘Mode-locked 1.93 μm thulium fiber laser with a carbon nanotube absorber’, Opt. Lett., 2008, 33, (12), pp. 1336–1338 (doi: 10.1364/OL.33.001336).
11. 11)
  - 6. Kivistö, S., Koskinen, R., Paajaste, J., et al: ‘Passively Q-switched Tm3+, Ho3+-doped silica fiber laser using a highly nonlinear saturable absorber and dynamic gain pulse compression’, Opt. Express, 2008, 16, (26), pp. 22058–22063, (doi: 10.1364/OE.16.022058).
12. 12)
  - 7. Hasan, T., Sun, Z., Wang, F., et al: ‘Nanotube–polymer composites for ultrafast photonics’, Adv. Mater., 2009, 21, (38-39), pp. 3874–3899 (doi: 10.1002/adma.200901122).
13. 13)
  - 1. El-Sherif, A.F., King, T.A.: ‘High-energy, high-brightness Q-switched Tm3+-doped fiber laser using an electro-optic modulator’, Opt. Commun., 2003, 218, (4–6), pp. 337–344 (doi: 10.1016/S0030-4018(03)01200-8).
14. 14)
  - 9. Kieu, K., Wise, F.W.: ‘Soliton thulium-doped fiber laser with carbon nanotube saturable absorber’, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett., 2009, 21, (3), p. 128 (doi: 10.1109/LPT.2008.2008727).
15. 15)
  - 2. Jiang, M., Ma, H.F., Ren, Z.Y., et al: ‘A graphene Q-switched nanosecond Tm-doped fiber laser at 2 μm’, Laser Phys. Lett., 2013, 10, (5), p. 055103 (doi: 10.1088/1612-2011/10/5/055103).
16. 16)
  - 1. El-Sherif, A.F., King, T.A.: ‘High-energy, high-brightness Q-switched Tm3+-doped fiber laser using an electro-optic modulator’, Opt. Commun., 2003, 218, (4–6), pp. 337–344 (doi: 10.1016/S0030-4018(03)01200-8).
17. 17)
  - M.S. Dresselhaus , G. Dresselhaus , R. Saito , A. Joriod . Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanotubes. Phys. Reports , 47 - 49
18. 18)
  - 7. Kivisto, S., Koskinen, R., Paajaste, J., Jackson, S.D., Guina, M., Okhotnikov, O.G.: ‘Passively Q-swtiched TM3+, Ho3+-doped silica fiber laser using a highly nonlinear saturable absorber and dynamic gain pulse compression’, Opt. Express, 2008, 16, (26), p. 22058 (doi: 10.1364/OE.16.022058).
19. 19)
  - 14. Banhart, F.: ‘Irradiation effects in carbon nanostructures’, Rep. Prog. Phys., 1999, 62, p. 1181 (doi: 10.1088/0034-4885/62/8/201).
20. 20)
  - 8. Ahmad, F., Harun, S., Nor, R., Zulkepely, N., Ahmad, H., Shum, P.: ‘A passively mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser based on a single-wall carbon nanotube polymer’, Chin. Phys. Lett., 2013, 30, (5), p. 054210 (doi: 10.1088/0256-307X/30/5/054210).
21. 21)
  - 13. Ramadurai, K., Cromer, C.L., Lewis, L.A., et al: ‘High-performance carbon nanotube coatings for high-power laser radiometry’, J. Appl. Phys., 2008, 103, p. 013103 (doi: 10.1063/1.2825647).
22. 22)
  - 10. Costa, S., Borowiak-Palen, E., Kruszynska, M., Bachmatiuk, A., Kalenczuk, R.: ‘Characterization of carbon nanotubes by Raman spectroscopy’, Mater. Sci. Poland, 2008, 26, (2), pp. 433–441.
23. 23)
  - 10. Hasan, T., Sun, Z.P., Wang, F.Q., et al: ‘Nanotube–polymer composites for ultrafast photonics’, Adv. Mater., 2009, 21, (38–39), p. 3874 (doi: 10.1002/adma.200901122).
24. 24)
  - 12. Zhang, L., Wang, Y.G., Yu, H.J., et al: ‘Passive mode-locked Nd:YVO4 laser using a multi-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber’, Laser Phys., 2011, 21, pp. 1382–1386 (doi: 10.1134/S1054660X11150333).
25. 25)
  - 8. Solodyankin, M.A., Obraztsova, E.D., Lobach, A.S., et al: ‘Mode-locked 1.93 µm thulium fiber laser with a carbon nanotube absorber’, Opt. Lett., 2008, 33, (12), p. 1336 (doi: 10.1364/OL.33.001336).
26. 26)
  - 9. Harun, S.W., Saidin, N., Zen, D.I.M., et al: ‘Self-starting harmonic mode-locked thulium-doped fiber laser with carbon nanotubes saturable absorber’, Chin. Phys. Lett., 2013, 30, (9), p. 094204, doi: i10.1088/0256–307x/30/9/094204 (doi: 10.1088/0256-307X/30/9/094204).
27. 27)
  - 3. Wang, Q., Geng, J., Jiang, Z., Luo, T., Jiang, S.: ‘Mode-locked Tm–Ho-codoped fiber laser at 2.06 µm’, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett., 2011, 23, pp. 682–684 (doi: 10.1109/LPT.2011.2123880).

Q-switched thulium-doped fibre laser operating at 1900 nm using multi-walled carbon nanotubes saturable absorber

References

Related content