10-GHz harmonically mode-locked fiber ring laser stabilized by cavity length control for over 16 hours

Abstract

We have successfully stabilized a 10-GHz harmonically mode-locked fiber ring laser for over 16 hours by feedback control of the cavity length to suppress relaxation oscillation. The laser cavity was composed of all polarization-maintaining fibers and components to eliminate polarization instabilities. The noise characteristics of the laser output were measured from the single-sideband noise spectra of the 2st and the 4th harmonics. The rins timing jitter was maintained at under 0.5 ps and the noise components were suppressed by over 50 dB when the laser was stabilized by keeping the detuning frequency within 2 kHz.