Low threshold multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser generation in conjunction with a photonic crystal fiber

We propose and demonstrate the most compact low threshold multiwavelength Brillouin-erbium fiber laser (MBEFL) incorporating a 100-m long photonic crystal fiber (PCF) as a Brillouin gain medium. This optimized configuration with a simple ring cavity makes it possible for the first time to achieve more than 22 Brillouin Stokes waves with a line spacing of 0.08 nm (similar to 10 GHz) and more than -20 dBm power in conjunction with a 100-m long PCF. Using a pre-amplified Brillouin power approach in a ring cavity realizes a low threshold multiwavelength laser with a Brillouin pump power of around 8 dBm at an injected 980 nm pump power of 125 mW. Anti-Stokes lines are also obtained due to four-wave mixing and bidirectional operation.