We report on the different regimes observed in a bipolarized neodymium-doped fiber laser self Q-switched by a thin slice of a polymer-based saturable absorber. We demonstrate the interplay between the total losses and the loss anisotropy induced respectively by defocusing the saturable absorber and by tilting the cavity mirror. Starting from a global chaotic behavior for low-losses (i.e. good cavity) configuration, the system evolves toward n-periodic (n= 4,2 and 1) regime for increasing losses (bad cavity configuration). Stabilization of the regimes depends on the anisotropic losses introduced. These regimes have been identified as to be due to non-linear coupling through saturable absorber between two distinct polarized modes. These modes have been experimentally resolved. Simple model based on a bipolarized fiber laser reproduces such dynamics.

Date Published: 8 July 2003
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 5036, Photonics, Devices, and Systems II, (8 July 2003); doi: 10.1117/12.498509

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5036:
Photonics, Devices, and Systems II
Miroslav Hrabovsky; Dagmar Senderakova; Pavel Tomanek, Editor(s)