LMI Seminar: Noise and pulse interactions in mode locked lasers

Abstract:

Ultrashort pulse shaping in mode locked lasers with anomalous dispersion clamps the waveform and energy of the pulses, which therefore behave like discrete light particles immersed in a bath of noisy continuum. I will show that pulse diffusion caused by the noise action gives rise to a long-range pulse interaction that explains the complex pulse motion observed in the stochastic ‘soliton rain’ laser operating regime. If time permits, aspects of the process of pulse formation will be presented.