Self-organization in a multicore fiber laser array.

We explain an observed spontaneous transition to the high-brightness, in-phase array state of a seven-core ytterbium-doped fiber laser array [IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett. 13, 439 (2001)]. The responsible mechanism is nonlinear refraction, and either in-phase or antiphase array modes can be selected by control of pump intensity. The phenomenon appears to be robust and scalable.

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