Dissipative rogue waves generated by chaotic pulse bunching in a mode-locked laser

Phys Rev Lett. 2012 Jun 8;108(23):233901. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.233901. Epub 2012 Jun 5.

Abstract

Rare events of extremely high optical intensity are experimentally recorded at the output of a mode-locked fiber laser that operates in a strongly dissipative regime of chaotic multiple-pulse generation. The probability distribution of these intensity fluctuations, which highly depend on the cavity parameters, features a long-tailed distribution. Recorded intensity fluctuations result from the ceaseless relative motion and nonlinear interaction of pulses within a temporally localized multisoliton phase.