Fiber laser mode locked through an evolutionary algorithm

Mode locking of fiber lasers generally involves adjusting several control parameters, in connection with a wide range of accessible short-pulse dynamics. In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrate the ability of an evolutionary algorithm to prescribe a set of cavity parameters entailing specific self-starting mode locking. The prescribed parameters are applied to electrically driven polarization controllers, thus shaping the effective nonlinear transfer function at play within the fiber cavity. According to the specifications of the objective function used for the optimization procedure, various short-pulse regimes are obtained. Our versatile method represents an effective novel avenue for the exploration and optimization of nonlinear cavity dynamics. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America