Femtosecond fiber oscillator based on a 3×3-coupler-NALM: numerical model and realizations at 1 and 2 µm.

In this article, we present robust passively mode-locked femtosecond lasers operating at 1030 and approximately 2000 nm, respectively. The all-fiber, all-polarization-maintaining (PM) lasers are mode-locked by a nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM) which is attached to the cavity by a 3×3-coupler. The NALM is phase-biased by the coupler, enabling turn-key operation of the oscillator.