Dissipative Optical Solitons

Description

This book introduces the basic concept of a dissipative soliton, before going to explore recent theoretical and experimental results for various classes of dissipative optical solitons, high-energy dissipative solitons and their applications, and mode-locked fiber lasers. A soliton is a concept which describes various physical phenomena ranging from solitary waves forming on water to ultrashort optical pulses propagating in an optical fiber. While solitons are usually attributed to integrability, in recent years the notion of a soliton has been extended to various systems which are not necessarily integrable.  Until now, the main emphasis has been given to well-known conservative soliton systems, but new avenues of inquiry were opened when physicists realized that solitary waves did indeed exist in a wide range of non-integrable and non-conservative systems leading to the concept of so-called dissipative optical solitons. Dissipative optical solitons have many unique properties which differ from those of their conservative counterparts. For example, except for very few cases, they form zero-parameter families and their properties are completely determined by the external parameters of the optical system. They can exist indefinitely in time, as long as these parameters stay constant. These features of dissipative solitons are highly desirable for several applications, such as in-line regeneration of optical data streams and generation of stable trains of laser pulses by mode-locked cavities. Contents Contributors Chapter 1: Dissipative Optical Solitons: An Introduction 1.1 Solitary Waves 1.2 Solitons in Optical Fibers 1.3 The Complex Ginzburg-Landau Equation 1.4 Dissipative Solitons 1.5 Dissipative Soliton Molecules 1.6 Recent Experimental Results on Pulsating Dissipative Solitons References Chapter 2: Dissipative Solitons in Passively Mode-Locked Lasers 2.1 From Solitons to Dissipative Solitons in Ultrafast Lasers 2.1.1 Early Advances Toward Soliton Lasers 2.1.2 Reconsidering the Value of Dissipation in Lasers 2.2 Signatures of Dissipative Soliton Dynamics 2.3 Dissipative Soliton Molecules 2.3.1 The Wealth of Soliton Interaction Processes Within a Laser Cavity 2.3.2 From Stationary to Pulsating Soliton Molecules 2.4 Toward Incoherent Dissipative Solitons 2.5 Summary and Prospects References Chapter 3: Dissipative Soliton Buildup Dynamics 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Conventional Soliton Buildup Dynamics in an Anomalous Dispersion Fiber Laser 3.3 Dissipative Solitons Buildup Dynamics in a Normal Dispersion Fiber Laser 3.4 Dissipative Soliton Buildup Dynamics in a Bidirectional Fiber Laser with Net-Normal Dispersion 3.5 Buildup Dynamics of Dissipative Soliton Molecules 3.6 Conclusion References Chapter 4: Dissipative Soliton Resonance 4.1 Introduction 4.1.1 Numerical Approach: Propagation in an Oscillator with a Saturable Absorber (SA) 4.1.2 DSR Pulses in Passively Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers 4.1.2.1 Experimental Features of DSR Pulses 4.1.2.2 Control of Pulse Characteristics in Dual-Amplifier Configuration 4.2 Multi-pulsing Instabilities in DSR Regime 4.3 Chapter Summary References Chapter 5: Ultra-Short High-Amplitude Dissipative Solitons 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Cubic-Quintic Complex Ginzburg-Landau Equation 5.3 Soliton Perturbation Theory 5.4 Method of Moments 5.5 Very-High Amplitude CGLE Solitons 5.6 Effects of Dispersion 5.7 Impact of Higher-Order Effects 5.7.1 Results of the Soliton Perturbation Theory 5.7.2 Linear Stability Analysis 5.7.3 Numerical Results 5.8 Conclusions References Chapter 6: Vector Dissipative Solitons 6.1 Introduction 6.2 DS Trapping in Fiber Lasers 6.3 Various Forms of VDSs 6.3.1 High-Order VDSs 6.3.2 Dark-Bright VDSs 6.3.3 Vector Soliton Molecules 6.3.4 Vector Noise-Like Pulses 6.4 Real-Time Dynamics of VDSs 6.4.1 Dispersive Fourier Transform Based Polarization Resolved Analysis 6.4.2 Real-Time Polarization Dynamics of VDSs 6.4.3 Pulsation of VDSs 6.5 Conclusions References Chapter 7: Dynamics of Pulsating Dissipative Solitons 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Theory of Pulsating Dissipative Solitons 7.2.1 Numerical Analysis of Pulsation Dynamics 7.2.2 Semi-Analytical Analysis of Pulsation Dynamics 7.3 Transient Behaviors of Pulsating Dissipative Solitons 7.3.1 Stationary Soliton 7.3.2 Single-Period Pulsating Soliton 7.3.3 Double-Period Pulsating Soliton 7.3.4 Periodic Soliton Explosion 7.3.5 Multi-Soliton Synchronous Pulsation 7.3.6 Pulsating Soliton Molecule 7.3.7 Multi-Soliton Asynchronous Pulsation References Chapter 8: Raman Dissipative Solitons 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Principle of Generation 8.3 Simulation 8.4 Brief Theory 8.5 Applications References Chapter 9: L-Band Wavelength Tunable Dissipative Soliton Fiber Laser 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Laser Design 9.3 Methods of Wavelength Tuning 9.3.1 Wavelength Tuning Based on Spectral Birefringence Filter with 45Tilted Fiber Grating 9.3.1.1 Laser Setup and Device Characteristics 9.3.1.2 Experimental Results and Discussions 9.3.2 Wavelength Tuning Based on Tunable Filter with Fiber Taper 9.3.2.1 Laser Setup and Device Characteristics 9.3.2.2 Experimental Results and Discussions 9.3.3 Wavelength Tuning Based on Cavity Loss Control with Commercial Mechanical VOA 9.3.3.1 Laser Setup and Device Characteristics 9.3.3.2 Experimental Results and Discussions 9.3.4 Wavelength Tuning Based on Cavity Loss Control with Taper-Type VOA 9.3.4.1 Laser Setup and Device Property 9.3.4.2 Experimental Results and Discussions 9.3.5 Comparison with Different Wavelength Tuning Methods 9.4 Conclusion References Chapter 10: Multiplexed Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Bidirectional Multiplexed Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers 10.2.1 SESAM 10.2.2 CNT 10.2.3 Graphene 10.2.4 NPR 10.2.5 Hybrid 10.3 Wavelength Multiplexed Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers 10.4 Polarization Multiplexed Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers 10.5 Conclusion and Outlook References Chapter 11: Multi-soliton Complex in Nonlinear Cavities 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Multi-soliton Complex in Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers 11.2.1 Multi-soliton States in Mode-Locked Lasers and Their Interaction 11.2.1.1 Soliton Molecule 11.2.1.2 Pulse Bunching and Harmonic Mode-Locking 11.2.1.3 Other States 11.2.2 Rapid Measurements of Multi-soliton Dynamics in Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers 11.2.2.1 Multi-soliton in Spatiotemporal Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers 11.3 Mutli-soliton Complex in Microcavities 11.3.1 Basic Principle of Coherently Pumped Solitons 11.3.2 Multi-soliton States and Their Interactions in Microcavities 11.3.2.1 Dispersive Wave Emission in Microcavities 11.3.2.2 From Soliton Molecules to Soliton Crystals in Microcavities 11.3.2.3 Multi-soliton State Using Advanced Pumping Schemes 11.4 Summary and Discussions References Chapter 12: Dissipative Solitons in Microresonators 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Modeling 12.2.1 Higher-Order Dispersion 12.2.2 Raman Effect 12.3 Dispersion Engineered Cavity Dynamics 12.3.1 Capabilities of Dispersion Engineering 12.3.2 Advanced Control of Dissipative Soliton Dynamics 12.3.3 Novel Phenomena in Dispersion-Tailored Microring Resonators 12.4 Soliton Comb Generation Schemes 12.4.1 Frequency Scanning 12.4.2 Power Kicking 12.4.3 Thermal Tuning 12.4.4 Self-Injection Locking and Laser-Based Configurations 12.5 Nonlinear Dynamics of DKS 12.6 Applications References Chapter 13: Vector Vortex Solitons and Soliton Control in Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Mechanism of Bistability in Lasers with Frequency-Selective Feedback 13.3 Vector Vortex Solitons 13.3.1 What Are Vector Vortex Beams? 13.3.2 Experimental Setup 13.3.3 Principle Observations 13.3.4 Complex Hysteresis Loops 13.3.5 Influencing Polarization Selection by Intra-Cavity Waveplates 13.3.6 Interpretation 13.4 Flip-Flop Operation of Laser Cavity Solitons 13.4.1 Soliton Control in Systems with and Without Holding Beams 13.4.2 Experimental Setup 13.4.3 Experimental Results 13.5 Conclusions and Outlook References Chapter 14: Discrete Solitons of the Ginzburg-Landau Equation 14.1 Introduction 14.2 The Model and Linear Dispersion Relation 14.3 Dissipative Solitons of the DGLE 14.4 Saturable Nonlinearity and MI Analysis 14.5 Exact Dissipative Discrete Soliton Solutions 14.6 Conclusion References Chapter 15: Noise-Like Pulses in Mode-Locked Fiber Lasers 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Examples of NLP Lasers 15.3 Mechanisms of NLP Formation 15.3.1 Effect of Cavity Birefringence 15.3.2 Soliton Collapse Due to Reverse Saturable Absorption 15.3.3 Raman-Driven NLP 15.3.4 NLP Formation in Amplifiers 15.4 Dynamics, Coherence and Stability of NLP Lasers 15.5 Applications of NLP Lasers 15.5.1 Metrology 15.5.2 Spectroscopy 15.5.3 Spectral Broadening and Supercontinuum Generation 15.5.4 Optical Coherence Tomography 15.5.5 Nonlinear Microscopy 15.6 Summary References Chapter 16: Dissipative Rogue Waves 16.1 Introduction 16.1.1 Rogue Waves in the Oceans 16.1.2 Introduction of Optical Rogue Waves 16.1.3 Real-Time Techniques for Observing Optical Rogue Waves 16.1.3.1 Dispersive-Fourier-Transform-Based Ultrafast Spectroscopy 16.1.3.2 Time Magnifier 16.2 Dissipative Rogue Waves 16.2.1 Rogue Waves in Dissipative Systems 16.2.2 Dissipative Rogue Waves in Ultrafast Lasers 16.2.3 Dissipative Rogue Waves in Microresonators 16.2.4 Dissipative Rogue Waves in Extended Systems 16.2.5 Optical Polarization Rogue Waves 16.3 Generating Mechanisms of Dissipative Rogue Waves 16.3.1 Two Interpretations 16.3.2 Are the Dissipative Rogue Waves Predictable? 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