Recent progress in passively mode-locked fiber lasers based on low dimensional nanomaterials

Passively mode-locked fiber lasers have applications in industry, optical communication, biology, chemistry and so on. Saturable absorber (SA) is a key component in mode-locked fiber laser that can periodically modulates the intra-cavity laser pulses and transforms continuous wave to pulsed wave. Until now, low dimensional nanomaterials have been widely employed as SAs to achieve ultrafast optical pulses output. In this paper, we mainly review recent progress in passively mode-locked fiber lasers based on low dimensional nanomaterials. Firstly, we introduce different kinds of low dimensional nanomaterials, the methods of fabricating corresponding SAs and measurements of their nonlinear optical properties. Then, we review the passively mode-locked fiber lasers based on low dimensional nanomaterials. After that, vector soliton fiber lasers are introduced. At last, we conclude the results and discuss the prospects and challenges of low dimensional nanomaterials in passively mode-locked fibers.