Excitability in an all-fiber laser with a saturable absorber section
Robert Otupiri, Bruno Garbin, Neil G. R. Broderick, Bernd Krauskopf · Journal of the Optical Society of America B · 2021
We report the first demonstration of excitability in an all-fiber laser. We present clear experimental evidence in this passively Q -switched device with gain and absorber sections for defining properties of excitability, including a threshold-based excitable response and a decreasing reaction delay between input pulse and excitatory response with increasing perturbation amplitude. Our experimental results are consistent with the homoclinic/saddle-loop mechanism that forms the basis of excitability as demonstrated by a study of the Yamada model; they pave the way toward novel and reliable all-fiber architectures for neuro-inspired photonic memory and computing applications.