Carbon nanotube mode-locked fiber lasers: recent progress and perspectives
Dai Lilong,
Huang Zinan,
Huang Qianqian,
Zhao Chang,
Rozhin Aleksey,
Sergeyev Sergey,
Al Araimi Mohammed,
Mou Chengbo
Affiliations
Dai Lilong
Key Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Networks, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
Huang Zinan
Key Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Networks, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
Huang Qianqian
Key Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Networks, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
Zhao Chang
Key Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Networks, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
Rozhin Aleksey
Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT), Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
Sergeyev Sergey
Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies (AIPT), Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, UK
Al Araimi Mohammed
Higher College of Technology, PO Box 74, Postal Code 133, Al-Khuwair, Sultanate of Oman
Mou Chengbo
Key Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Optical Access Networks, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Communication and Data Science, Joint International Research Laboratory of Specialty Fiber Optics and Advanced Communication, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, P. R. China
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) possess remarkable nonlinear optical properties; a particular application is to function as a mode locker used in ultrafast fiber lasers to produce ultrashort optical pulses. Various types of CNT saturable absorbers (SAs) and ultrafast fiber lasers have been demonstrated. In this review, typical fabrication process and development of CNT SAs are discussed and we highlight the recent investigation and progress of state-of-the-art ultrafast fiber lasers covering GHz, bidirectional ultrafast fiber lasers, vectorial mode fiber lasers, comb systems, and mode-locking dynamics. Our perspectives of ultrafast fiber lasers based on CNT SAs are given finally.