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arXiv · 2505.04624

Dissipative solitons in parity-time symmetric laser cavities

Jesús Yelo-Sarrión·François Leo·Simon-Pierre Gorza
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Abstract

The generation of optically coherent ultrashort pulses by mode-locked lasers has revolutionized advancements in modern science and technology. These pulses often arise from the formation of dissipative solitons, which emerge due to a balance between energy excitation and dissipation. Harnessing the concept of parity-time (PT) symmetry to control this balance, we demonstrate a new type of laser dissipative solitons hosted in linearly coupled ring cavities. Our experiments are performed in a laser where the linear hybridized modes are in the PT-symmetric phase. We experimentally observe the formation of short pulses, stabilized by the selective breaking of the PT-symmetry by the Kerr nonlinearity. Our results unlock new possibilities for passive mode-locking by showing spontaneous pulse formation in PT-symmetric lasers without the need for additional intricate components such as saturable absorber or non-reciprocal and polarisation sensitive elements.

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Jesús Yelo-Sarrión, François Leo, Simon-Pierre Gorza. 2025-05-07. Dissipative solitons in parity-time symmetric laser cavities. https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.04624

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