Tunable Dual-Wavelength Bismuth Fiber Laser With 37.8-GHz Frequency Spacing

Abstract

A tunable dual-wavelength Brillouin-bismuth fiber laser with a triple-Brillouin frequency spacing of ∼37.8 GHz was demonstrated by employing modular structures. The modular designs can be divided into two main cavities, whereby cavity 1 consisted of a 2-km single-mode fiber (SMF) and a loop mirror that was able to generate a single-spaced Brillouin shift, while cavity 2 comprised of 10-km dispersion compensating fiber (DCF) that was able to produce a double-spaced Brillouin shift. Based on this design, a stable dual-wavelength lasing was established with a low peak power fluctuation of 0.13 dB and 0.6 dB for the Brillouin pump (BP) and third Brillouin Stokes line (BS3), respectively. By varying the center wavelength of the Brillouin pump, the dual-wavelength laser can be tuned across a 40 nm span, ranging from 1300 nm to 1340 nm. The frequency spacing of the Brillouin-bismuth fiber laser can also be easily switched between ∼12.6 GHz, ∼25.2 GHz, and ∼37.8 GHz by utilizing these modular structures. The proposed dual-wavelength laser has a promising potential for application as a low phase noise source for microwave generation.