Compact Multiwavelength Brillouin Fiber Laser by Utilizing EDF as Hybrid Gain Media

We have experimentally demonstrated a compact multiwavelength Brillouin fiber laser by introducing an optical feedback mechanism in the laser configuration. A piece of erbium-doped fiber (EDF) is utilized as both linear gain media and Brillouin gain media. The influence of Brillouin pump power and wavelength, EDF length, and pump power on the laser performance are analyzed and discussed. Up to six Stokes lasing lines are generated, and the Stokes lasing lines show high temporal stability with the maximum power ripple less than 0.45 dB. By shortening the EDF length to 7 m, a dual-wavelength single-longitudinal-mode Brillouin fiber laser is achieved. Microwave signals at 11.02 and 22.04 GHz without disturbing side modes are obtained. This laser has potential applications in microwave generation, Brillouin fiber sensors, and high-speed optical communication.