Figure-9 mode-locked fiber laser using liquid crystal variable retarders

作     者：Lu, Qiao Ma, Xinyu Zhang, Feng Wu, Qianchao Liu, Haowei 

作者机构：School of Automation Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Jiangsu Nanjing210044 China  Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology Jiangsu Nanjing210044 China Shanghai Research Center for Quantum Science CAS Center for Excellence in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics University of Science and Technology of China Shanghai200120 China 

出 版 物：《Optics Express》 (Opt. Express)

年 卷 期：2025年第33卷第3期

页      面：5012-5020页

核心收录：

学科分类：070207[理学-光学] 07[理学] 08[工学] 0805[工学-材料科学与工程（可授工学、理学学位）] 0802[工学-机械工程] 0803[工学-光学工程] 0702[理学-物理学] 

基　　金：Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20230418, No. BK20230417) National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 62305168) Startup Foundation for Introducing Talent of NUIST (No. 2023r105, No. 2023r107, No. 2023r109). The authors thank Dr. Changjun Quan and Dr. Yuxuan Cao for the helpful discussions and experimental assistance 

主　　题：Fiber lasers 

摘      要：We propose a scheme for a Figure-9 mode-locked fiber laser that utilizes liquid crystal variable retarders (LCs) with tunable splitting ratios and non-reciprocal phase shifts. Simulation results demonstrate that the parameter space can be effectively explored through full-wave scanning of the two LCs, while fast axes of both LCs are oriented at an angle of -1/4π to the horizontal plane. Under quasi-symmetric conditions, experimental results confirm the scheme’s capability to control the mode-locking state. By varying the retardance of the LCs, we map the distribution of mode-locking states in the parameter space. Our findings reveal that, due to the difference in nonlinear transmission from the conventional scheme, this scheme has a similar distribution of mode-locking states but is more conservative. This innovative scheme offers a fast-response laser platform without moving parts, making it suitable for research in laser technology, intelligent mode locking, and ultrafast dynamics. © 2025 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement.