Transient dynamics in a self-starting passively mode-locked fiber-based soliton laser

We describe measurements of spectrally resolved turn-on and turn-off dynamics in a self-starting passively mode-locked fiber soliton laser. An intracavity quantum well optical amplifier whose bias is modulated changes the cavity losses, thereby switching the laser between continuous wave and mode-locked states. We show that during the transients, the laser undergoes a period of self Q switching lasting a few hundreds of microseconds (as determined by the relaxation oscillation frequency in the fiber gain medium) before it reaches steady state.