Abstract

Devices based on nonlinear polarization evolution in optical fibers¹ have recently been the subject of intensive research efforts, particularly in application to passively modelocked fiber lasers.² However, whereas the simultaneously developed passively mode-locked femtosecond sources based on bulk solid-state lasers have found wide-spread applications in a very short time, fiber lasers have to date been confined to a few research laboratories. The reason is that no reproducible polarization control is available for nonlinear fiber lasers. The difficulty arises since nonlinear fiber devices require the control of polarization not only along a single point in the fiber, but also along the whole fiber length.

© 1993 Optical Society of America