270 MHz passively mode-locked Er-doped fiber laser using single walled carbon nanotube polymer film

Abstract

We demonstrated a short-cavity mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser based on single walled carbon nanotube polymer composite film saturable absorber with a maximum fundamental repetition rate of 270.5 MHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest fundamental repetition rate among mode-locked erbium-doped ring fiber lasers based on nanomaterial polymer composite films. Samples with non-saturable loss range from 13.2% to 60% and modulation depth from 1.63% to 7.08% are prepared by controlling carbon nanotube concentration and film thickness. We systematically investigate the impacts of saturable absorbers on mode-locking repetition rate. Our results show that when the laser repetition rate continuously increases from 15.45 MHz to 270.5 MHz, samples with higher non-saturable loss will push forward the mode-locking threshold and eventually lose mode-locking. In addition, the increased modulation depth will enhance the pulse shaping ability and result in a shorter pulse. Our results may help for high repetition rate mode-locked fiber laser design and improve the laser characteristics. The demonstrated laser may support applications such as frequency comb, etc.