Abstract

The switching characteristic of a nonlinear-optical loop mirror can be inverted by a birefringent bias element. The device reflectance is insensitive to polarization in the linear regime for arbitrary birefringence in the loop. Under certain conditions, birefringence leads to polarization sensitivity in the nonlinear regime, which is likely to be contributing to instabilities that have been observed recently in mode-locked fiber lasers.

© 1992 Optical Society of America

Polarization sensitivity of the nonlinear amplifying loop mirror

C. Balslev Clausen, J. H. Povlsen, and K. Rottwitt
Opt. Lett. 21(19) 1535-1537 (1996)

Bandpass switching in a nonlinear-optical loop mirror

D. A. Pattison, P. N. Kean, W. Forysiak, I. Bennion, and N. J. Doran
Opt. Lett. 20(4) 362-364 (1995)

Soliton switching using cascaded nonlinear-optical loop mirrors

D. A. Pattison, W. Forysiak, P. N. Kean, I. Bennion, and N. J. Doran
Opt. Lett. 20(1) 19-21 (1995)

Pulse amplification and shaping using a nonlinear loop mirror that incorporates a saturable gain

K. Smith, E. J. Greer, N. J. Doran, D. M. Bird, and K. H. Cameron
Opt. Lett. 17(6) 408-410 (1992)

Polarization-insensitive nonlinear optical loop mirror demultiplexer with twisted fiber

Y. Liang, J. W. Lou, J. K. Andersen, J. C. Stocker, O. Boyraz, M. N. Islam, and D. A. Nolan
Opt. Lett. 24(11) 726-728 (1999)