Abstract

An analytic theory of the soliton laser has been developed to describe the steady state operation of the recent experiment by Mollenauer and Stolen[1]. The theory focusses on the fiber as the key element in shaping the pulse, and shows that the synchronously pumped laser section acts as an injection locked, modelocked amplifier, providing slightly dispersive, time-dependent gain to the soliton (Fig. 1). In contrast to active and passive modelocking, where pulse shortening is achieved by resistive means, the pulse shortening mechanism in the soliton laser is reactive. By studying the propagation and perturbation of the soliton in its passage through the laser and invoking a closure condition, several experimental observations have been explained: (a) the pulsewidth is determined by the fiber length; and (b) in general, the N = 2 soliton is favored over the N = 1 soliton.

© 1984 Optical Society of America