Dissipative Solitons in Passively Mode-Locked Lasers

AbstractIn this chapter, I present the conceptual framework of dissipative optical solitons, shown to be particularly efficient to apprehend the diversity of ultrafast laser dynamics, understand their salient features and stimulate the design of innovative laser architectures. The chapter first unfolds the successive advances that built up soliton and dissipative soliton laser concepts. Then, the general signatures of dissipative soliton dynamics are highlighted. As a vivid illustration, a range of nonlinear dynamics of dissipative soliton molecules is presented, following an overview on the interaction processes among dissipative solitons within a laser cavity. Finally, going beyond mode-locked laser dynamics, a generalization of dissipative soliton concepts to incoherent and chaotic localized optical structures is exposed.KeywordsOptical solitonsDissipative solitonsUltrafast lasersFiber lasersMode lockingBifurcationsChaosNonlinear dynamicsPattern formationDissipative systemsAttractorsUltrafast opticsUltrashort pulse characterizationArtificial intelligenceComplexity