High-speed mode-locked, tunable, integrated erbium fibre laser

A diode-pumped, integrated erbium fibre ring laser has been mode-locked at frequencies up to 14 GHz using a high speed lithium niobate amplitude modulator. Pulses of 20–30 ps duration have been generated with mean output powers of 7.5 mW. In addition, the laser could be efficiently tuned over the 1.52–1.57μm wavelength region.