Experimental observation of soliton molecule evolution in Yb-doped passively mode-locked fiber lasers

We have observed soliton molecules with variable modulation depth of spectra in a passively mode-locked dispersion-managed Yb-doped fiber laser. The soliton molecule we experimentally investigated presents diatomic and tetratomic types. With the enhancement of pump power, the laser alternately operates at solitons molecule, temporal-separation-oscillation solitons, and harmonic mode-locked states. Moreover, the phase of solitons molecule is only locked at low pump, and excess pump would cause phase vibration. (letters)