Observation of self-mode-locked noise-like pulses from a net normal dispersion erbium-doped fiber laser

Self-mode-locked noise-like pulses (NLPs) were experimentally investigated from a normal dispersion erbium-doped fiber laser. Different from noise-like pulses with a broadband spectrum, the self-mode-locked NLPs have a narrow optical spectrum of 1-2 nm and hundreds of nanoseconds duration. However, the intra-cavity maximum energy of NLPs is up to 560 nJ without pulse breaking. The higher pulse energy output is promising in the proposed fiber laser. To confirm whether self-mode-locked NLPs are caused by an invisible nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) mechanism owing to slight residual polarization asymmetry of the fiber and components used, we compared the output characteristics between self-mode-locked NLPs and NPR mode-locked pulses in the same cavity. The experimental results show that the formation mechanism of such self-mode-locked NLPs could be related to a weak NPR effect.