Polarization dynamics of vector solitons in a fiber laser.

ABSTRACT

We investigate the polarization dynamics of vector solitons in a fiber laser mode-locked by a saturable absorber (SA). Three types of vector solitons were obtained in the laser, including group velocity locked vector solitons (GVLVS), polarization locked vector solitons (PLVS), and polarization rotation locked vector solitons (PRLVS). Their polarization evolution during intracavity propagation is discussed. Pure vector solitons are obtained from the continuous wave (CW) background by soliton distillation, and the characteristics of the vector solitons without and with distillation are analyzed, respectively. Numerical simulations suggest that the features of vector solitons in a fiber laser could be assemble to those generated in fibers.