A wavelength interval switchable erbium-doped fiber laser based on cascaded and parallel Lyot filters

This study presents the design of an erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) featuring switchable wavelength intervals achieved through the implementation of cascaded and parallel Lyot filters. The proposed laser system utilizes a cascaded and parallel configuration of three Lyot filters, facilitated by a polarization beam splitter (PBS) for branch switching. The transmission properties of the filter are analyzed through theoretical modeling and experimental validation using the transmission matrix method. The experimental results are found to be consistent with the theoretical predictions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed design. By adjusting the polarization controllers (PCs), the proposed laser can switch between wavelength spacings of 0.46 nm, 0.27 nm, and 0.76 nm, with a maximum optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of 38 dB. However, the stability of the laser with a 0.27 nm spacing is not high due to wavelength competition. Power fluctuation for 0.46 nm and 0.76 nm intervals is less than 0.93 dB and 0.78 dB in 1 h, with wavelength fluctuation less than 0.068 nm and 0.19 nm, respectively. This EDFL has the advantages of simple structure, great flexibility, and switchability, which can be applied to fiber optic sensing, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks, and other fields that require a very flexible light source.