Abstract

We report the intensity noise properties of actively $Q$-switched erbium-doped fiber lasers implemented in two configurations, one with a linear Fabry–Perot cavity with two fiber Bragg gratings as narrowband reflectors and the other with a ring cavity without spectrally selective components. We demonstrate that the types of photon noise statistics of $Q$-switched pulses in these two lasers are dramatically different (Poissonian or Bose–Einstein), revealing a crucial role of the cavity’s spectral selectivity. To determine the type of experimental statistics in terms of photon noise distribution, a detailed modeling is performed. Also, the noisy $Q$-switched pulses are employed as a pump for generating broadband supercontinuum in telecom fiber, which affects their noise statistics.

© 2017 Optical Society of America

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