We propose and demonstrate a simple compact, inexpensive, SOA-based, dual-wavelength tunable fiber laser, that can potentially be used for photoconductive mixing and generation of waves in the microwave and THz regions. A C-band semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is placed inside a linear cavity with two Sagnac loop mirrors at its either ends, which act as both reflectors and output ports. The selectivity of dual wavelengths and the tunability of the wavelength difference (Δλ) between them is accomplished by placing a narrow bandwidth (e.g., 0.3 nm) tunable thin film-based filter and a fiber Bragg grating (with bandwidth 0.28 nm) inside the loop mirror that operates as the output port. A total output power of + 6.9 dBm for the two wavelengths is measured and the potential for higher output powers is discussed. Optical power and wavelength stability are measured at 0.33 dB and 0.014 nm, respectively.

© 2012 OSA

1. Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
2. J. Chow, G. Town, B. Eggleton, M. Ibsen, K. Sugden, and I. Bennion, “Multiwavelength generation in an erbium-doped fiber laser using in-fiber comb filters,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.8(1), 60–62 (1996). [CrossRef]
3. M. A. Ummy, N. Madamopoulos, A. Joyo, M. Kouar, and R. Dorsinville, “Tunable multi-wavelength SOA based linear cavity dual-output port fiber laser using Lyot-Sagnac loop mirror,” Opt. Express19(4), 3202–3211 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
4. D. S. Moon, U.-C. Paek, and Y. Chung, “Multi-wavelength lasing oscillations in an Erbium-doped fiber laser using few-mode fiber Bragg grating,” Opt. Express12(25), 6147–6152 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
5. M. A. Ummy, N. Madamopoulos, P. Lama, and R. Dorsinville, “Dual Sagnac loop mirror SOA-based widely tunable dual-output port fiber laser,” Opt. Express17(17), 14495–145001 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
6. N. J. C. Libatique and R. K. Jain, “Precisely and rapidly wavelength-switchable narrow-linewidth 1.5μm laser source for wavelength division multiplexing applications,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.11(12), 1584–1586 (1999). [CrossRef]
7. P. C. Peng, H.-Y. Tseng, and S. Chi, “A tunable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser using a self-seeded fabrycprot laser diode,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.15(5), 661–663 (2003). [CrossRef]
8. Z. Chen, S. Ma, and N. K. Dutta, “Stable dual wavelength mode-locked Erbium-doped fiber ring laser,” in Frontiers in Optics, OSA Technical Digest, paper FTuG6.
9. J. Liu, J. P. Yao, J. Yao, and T. H. Yeap, “Single-longitudinal-mode multiwavelength fiber ring laser,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(4), 1020–1022 (2004). [CrossRef]
10. Y. Yao, X. Chen, and S. Xie, “Dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with a simple linear cavity and its application in microwave generation,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.18(1), 187–189 (2006). [CrossRef]
11. G. Chen, D. Huang, X. Zhang, and H. Cao, “Photonic generation of a microwave signal by incorporating a delay interferometer and a saturable absorber,” Opt. Lett.33(6), 554–556 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
12. S. Pan and J. P. Yao, “A wavelength-switchable single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser for switchable microwave generation,” Opt. Express17(7), 5414–5419 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
13. X. Chen, J. Yao, and Z. Deng, “Ultranarrow dual-transmission-band fiber Bragg grating filter and its application in a dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser,” Opt. Lett.30(16), 2068–2070 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
14. X. Chen, Z. Deng, and J. Yao, “Photonic Generation of Microwave Signal using a Dual wavelength Single-Longitudinal Mode fiber Ring laser,” IEEE Trans. Micro. Theory Tech.54(2), 804–809 (2006). [CrossRef]
15. H. Okamura and K. Iwatsuki, “Simultaneous oscillation of wavelength tunable, singlemode lasers using an Er doped fiber amplifier,” Electron. Lett.28(5), 461–463 (1992). [CrossRef]
16. Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
17. C.-S. Kim, R. M. Sova, and J. U. Kang, “Tunable multi-wavelength all fiber Raman source using fiber Sagnac loop filter,” Opt. Commun.218(4-6), 291–295 (2003). [CrossRef]
18. C. Zhao, X. Yang, J. H. Ng, X. Dong, X. Guo, X. Wang, X. Zhou, and C. Lu, “Switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber-ring lasers using a fiber Bragg grating in high-birefringence fiber,” Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.41(1), 73–75 (2004). [CrossRef]
19. Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
20. S. P. Smith, F. Zarinetchi, and S. Ezekiel, “Narrow-linewidth stimulated Brillouin fiber laser and applications,” Opt. Lett.16(6), 393–395 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
21. M. R. Shirazi, S. W. Harun, M. Biglary, and H. Ahmad, “Linear cavity Brillouin fiber laser with improved characteristics,” Opt. Lett.33(8), 770–772 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
22. Y.-G. Han, G. Kim, J. H. Lee, S. H. Kim, and S. B. Lee, “Lasing wavelength and spacing switchable multiwavelength fiber laser from 1510 to 1620 nm,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.17(5), 989–991 (2005). [CrossRef]
23. M. H. Al-Mansoori, M. K. Abdullah, and S. J. Iqbal, “Threshold features of L-band linear cavity multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser,” in Proceedings of IEEE TENCON Region 10 Annual International Conference (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2005), pp.1–4.
24. S. L. Pan, X. F. Zhao, and C. Y. Lou, “Switchable single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser incorporating a semiconductor optical amplifier,” Opt. Lett.33(8), 764–766 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
25. M. Matsuura and N. Kishi, “Frequency Control Characteristics of a Single-Frequency Fiber Laser with an External Light Injection” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.7(1), 55–58 (2001).
26. Y. Cheng, J. T. Kringlebotn, W. H. Loh, R. I. Laming, and D. N. Payne, “Stable single-frequency traveling-wave fiber loop laser with integral saturable-absorber-based tracking narrow-band filter,” Opt. Lett.20(8), 875–877 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
27. L. Xu, I. Glesk, V. Baby, and P. R. Prucnal, “Noise reduction in fiber ring lasers by use of a semiconductor optical amplifier,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2004), paper CWR1.
28. X. P. Cheng, P. Shum, C. H. Tse, J. L. Zhou, M. Tang, W. C. Tan, R. F. Wu, J. Zhang, R. F. Wu, and J. Zhang, “Single-longitudinal-mode erbium-doped fiber ring laser based on high finesse fiber Bragg grating Fabry- Perot Etalon,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.20(12), 976–978 (2008).
29. J. Sun, X. Yuan, X. Zhang, and D. Huang, “Single-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser using fiber grating based Fabry-Perot filters and variable saturable absorbers,” Opt. Commun.267(1), 177–181 (2006). [CrossRef]
30. I. Yoon, Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Tunable Multiwavelength Fiber Laser Employing a Comb Filter Based on a Polarization-Diversity Loop Configuration,” J. Lightwave Technol.24(4), 1805–1811 (2006). [CrossRef]
31. S. Calvez, X. Rejeaunier, P. Mollier, J.-P. Goedgebuer, and W. T. Rhodes, “Erbium-doped fiber laser tuning using two cascaded unbalanced Mach–Zehnder interferometers as intracavity filter: numerical analysis and experimental confirmation,” J. Lightwave Technol.19(6), 893–898 (2001). [CrossRef]
32. V. Baby, L. R. Chen, S. Doucet, and S. LaRochelle, “Continuous-wave operation of semiconductor optical amplifier-based multiwavelength tunable fiber lasers with 25-GHz spacing,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.13(3), 764–769 (2007). [CrossRef]
33. S. Feng, O. Xu, S. Lu, X. Mao, T. Ning, and S. Jian, “Single-polarization, switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with two polarization-maintaining fiber Bragg gratings,” Opt. Express16(16), 11830–11835 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
34. J. Sun, X. Yuan, X. Zhang, and D. Huang, “Single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength fiber ring laser by incorporating variable saturable absorbers and feedback fiber loops,” Opt. Commun.273(1), 231–237 (2007). [CrossRef]

Electron. Lett.

• H. Okamura and K. Iwatsuki, “Simultaneous oscillation of wavelength tunable, singlemode lasers using an Er doped fiber amplifier,” Electron. Lett.28(5), 461–463 (1992). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• M. Matsuura and N. Kishi, “Frequency Control Characteristics of a Single-Frequency Fiber Laser with an External Light Injection” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.7(1), 55–58 (2001).
• V. Baby, L. R. Chen, S. Doucet, and S. LaRochelle, “Continuous-wave operation of semiconductor optical amplifier-based multiwavelength tunable fiber lasers with 25-GHz spacing,” IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.13(3), 764–769 (2007). [CrossRef]

IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.

• Y.-G. Han, G. Kim, J. H. Lee, S. H. Kim, and S. B. Lee, “Lasing wavelength and spacing switchable multiwavelength fiber laser from 1510 to 1620 nm,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.17(5), 989–991 (2005). [CrossRef]
• X. P. Cheng, P. Shum, C. H. Tse, J. L. Zhou, M. Tang, W. C. Tan, R. F. Wu, J. Zhang, R. F. Wu, and J. Zhang, “Single-longitudinal-mode erbium-doped fiber ring laser based on high finesse fiber Bragg grating Fabry- Perot Etalon,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.20(12), 976–978 (2008).
• Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
• Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
• Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Multiwavelength-switchable SOA-fiber ring laser based on polarization-maintaining fiber loop mirror and polarization beam splitter,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(1), 54–56 (2004). [CrossRef]
• J. Chow, G. Town, B. Eggleton, M. Ibsen, K. Sugden, and I. Bennion, “Multiwavelength generation in an erbium-doped fiber laser using in-fiber comb filters,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.8(1), 60–62 (1996). [CrossRef]
• N. J. C. Libatique and R. K. Jain, “Precisely and rapidly wavelength-switchable narrow-linewidth 1.5μm laser source for wavelength division multiplexing applications,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.11(12), 1584–1586 (1999). [CrossRef]
• P. C. Peng, H.-Y. Tseng, and S. Chi, “A tunable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser using a self-seeded fabrycprot laser diode,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.15(5), 661–663 (2003). [CrossRef]
• J. Liu, J. P. Yao, J. Yao, and T. H. Yeap, “Single-longitudinal-mode multiwavelength fiber ring laser,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.16(4), 1020–1022 (2004). [CrossRef]
• Y. Yao, X. Chen, and S. Xie, “Dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with a simple linear cavity and its application in microwave generation,” IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett.18(1), 187–189 (2006). [CrossRef]

IEEE Trans. Micro. Theory Tech.

• X. Chen, Z. Deng, and J. Yao, “Photonic Generation of Microwave Signal using a Dual wavelength Single-Longitudinal Mode fiber Ring laser,” IEEE Trans. Micro. Theory Tech.54(2), 804–809 (2006). [CrossRef]

J. Lightwave Technol.

• I. Yoon, Y. W. Lee, J. Jung, and B. Lee, “Tunable Multiwavelength Fiber Laser Employing a Comb Filter Based on a Polarization-Diversity Loop Configuration,” J. Lightwave Technol.24(4), 1805–1811 (2006). [CrossRef]
• S. Calvez, X. Rejeaunier, P. Mollier, J.-P. Goedgebuer, and W. T. Rhodes, “Erbium-doped fiber laser tuning using two cascaded unbalanced Mach–Zehnder interferometers as intracavity filter: numerical analysis and experimental confirmation,” J. Lightwave Technol.19(6), 893–898 (2001). [CrossRef]

Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.

• C. Zhao, X. Yang, J. H. Ng, X. Dong, X. Guo, X. Wang, X. Zhou, and C. Lu, “Switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber-ring lasers using a fiber Bragg grating in high-birefringence fiber,” Microw. Opt. Technol. Lett.41(1), 73–75 (2004). [CrossRef]

Opt. Commun.

• C.-S. Kim, R. M. Sova, and J. U. Kang, “Tunable multi-wavelength all fiber Raman source using fiber Sagnac loop filter,” Opt. Commun.218(4-6), 291–295 (2003). [CrossRef]
• J. Sun, X. Yuan, X. Zhang, and D. Huang, “Single-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser using fiber grating based Fabry-Perot filters and variable saturable absorbers,” Opt. Commun.267(1), 177–181 (2006). [CrossRef]
• J. Sun, X. Yuan, X. Zhang, and D. Huang, “Single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength fiber ring laser by incorporating variable saturable absorbers and feedback fiber loops,” Opt. Commun.273(1), 231–237 (2007). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• S. Feng, O. Xu, S. Lu, X. Mao, T. Ning, and S. Jian, “Single-polarization, switchable dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser with two polarization-maintaining fiber Bragg gratings,” Opt. Express16(16), 11830–11835 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. Pan and J. P. Yao, “A wavelength-switchable single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber laser for switchable microwave generation,” Opt. Express17(7), 5414–5419 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. A. Ummy, N. Madamopoulos, A. Joyo, M. Kouar, and R. Dorsinville, “Tunable multi-wavelength SOA based linear cavity dual-output port fiber laser using Lyot-Sagnac loop mirror,” Opt. Express19(4), 3202–3211 (2011). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• D. S. Moon, U.-C. Paek, and Y. Chung, “Multi-wavelength lasing oscillations in an Erbium-doped fiber laser using few-mode fiber Bragg grating,” Opt. Express12(25), 6147–6152 (2004). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. A. Ummy, N. Madamopoulos, P. Lama, and R. Dorsinville, “Dual Sagnac loop mirror SOA-based widely tunable dual-output port fiber laser,” Opt. Express17(17), 14495–145001 (2009). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• G. Chen, D. Huang, X. Zhang, and H. Cao, “Photonic generation of a microwave signal by incorporating a delay interferometer and a saturable absorber,” Opt. Lett.33(6), 554–556 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• X. Chen, J. Yao, and Z. Deng, “Ultranarrow dual-transmission-band fiber Bragg grating filter and its application in a dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser,” Opt. Lett.30(16), 2068–2070 (2005). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. P. Smith, F. Zarinetchi, and S. Ezekiel, “Narrow-linewidth stimulated Brillouin fiber laser and applications,” Opt. Lett.16(6), 393–395 (1991). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• M. R. Shirazi, S. W. Harun, M. Biglary, and H. Ahmad, “Linear cavity Brillouin fiber laser with improved characteristics,” Opt. Lett.33(8), 770–772 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• S. L. Pan, X. F. Zhao, and C. Y. Lou, “Switchable single-longitudinal-mode dual-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser incorporating a semiconductor optical amplifier,” Opt. Lett.33(8), 764–766 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• Y. Cheng, J. T. Kringlebotn, W. H. Loh, R. I. Laming, and D. N. Payne, “Stable single-frequency traveling-wave fiber loop laser with integral saturable-absorber-based tracking narrow-band filter,” Opt. Lett.20(8), 875–877 (1995). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Other

• L. Xu, I. Glesk, V. Baby, and P. R. Prucnal, “Noise reduction in fiber ring lasers by use of a semiconductor optical amplifier,” in Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference and Photonic Applications Systems Technologies, Technical Digest (CD) (Optical Society of America, 2004), paper CWR1.
• M. H. Al-Mansoori, M. K. Abdullah, and S. J. Iqbal, “Threshold features of L-band linear cavity multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser,” in Proceedings of IEEE TENCON Region 10 Annual International Conference (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2005), pp.1–4.
• Z. Chen, S. Ma, and N. K. Dutta, “Stable dual wavelength mode-locked Erbium-doped fiber ring laser,” in Frontiers in Optics, OSA Technical Digest, paper FTuG6.

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