Recent progress of dynamic mode manipulation via acousto-optic interactions in few-mode fiber lasers: mechanism, device and applications
Lu Jiafeng,
Shi Fan,
Xu Jiangtao,
Meng Linghao,
Zhang Longkun,
Cheng Peikang,
Zhou Xuan,
Pang Fufei,
Zeng Xianglong
Affiliations
Lu Jiafeng
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Shi Fan
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Xu Jiangtao
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Meng Linghao
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Zhang Longkun
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Cheng Peikang
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Zhou Xuan
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Pang Fufei
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
Zeng Xianglong
The Key Lab of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Network, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai200444, China
The burgeoning advances of spatial mode conversion in few-mode fibers emerge as the investigative hotspot in novel structured light manipulation, in that, high-order modes possess a novel fundamental signature of various intensity profiles and unique polarization distributions, especially orbital angular momentum modes carrying with phase singularity and spiral wave front. Thus, control of spatial mode generation becomes a crucial technique especially in fiber optics, which has been exploited to high capacity space division multiplexing. The acousto-optic interactions in few-mode fibers provide a potential solution to tackle the bottleneck of traditional spatial mode conversion devices. Acousto-optic mode conversion controlled by microwave signals brings tremendous new opportunities in spatial mode generation with fast mode tuning and dynamic switching capabilities. Besides, dynamic mode switching induced by acousto-optic effects contributes an energy modulation inside a laser cavity through nonlinear effects of multi-mode interaction, competition, which endows the fiber laser with new functions and leads to the exploration of new physical mechanism. In this review, we present the recent advances of controlling mode switch and generation employing acousto-optic interactions in few-mode fibers, which includes acousto-optic mechanisms, optical field manipulating devices and novel applications of spatial mode control especially in high-order mode fiber lasers.
