Multi-wavelength operation of an erbium-doped fiber ring laser using a dual-pass Mach–Zehnder comb filter

Abstract We propose and demonstrate a novel multi-wavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser. A dual-pass Mach–Zehnder (M–Z) interferometer fiber device is used as a comb filter inside the fiber laser cavity. Simultaneous oscillation of nine wavelengths is obtained when the erbium-doped fiber is immersed in liquid nitrogen. Tuning of the peak wavelengths and the spacings between adjacent modes in this laser is also demonstrated by controlling the optical path difference between the two arms of the M–Z device.

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