SUPPRESSION OF SELF-PULSING IN AN ERBIUM-DOPED FIBER LASER

We propose a scheme whereby the self-pulsation that commonly occurs in an erbium-doped fiber laser can be suppressed. The scheme consists of the addition of a low-power laser as an auxiliary pump. The required auxiliary pump power is only a few percent of the output lasing power. There is reasonable agreement between experimental and theoretical re sults. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.