Femtosecond optical pulse generation using a distributed-feedback laser diode

Femtosecond optical pulses have been successfully generated for the first time using a distributed-feedback laser diode (DFB LD), erbium-doped optical fibre amplifiers, and the soliton narrowing effect in dispersion-shifted single-mode fibres. The DFB LD was gain-switched by a 500 MHz comb generator, and the pulse was converted into high power soliton pulses using a narrowband spectral windowing technique and the erbium amplifiers. With a three-stage soliton compression technique, 180-250 fs pulses with a peak power as high as 260 W were obtained. The average output power was 32 mW.