Cascaded nonlinear dynamics of dual-frequency-driven soliton molecules in an ultrafast fiber laser
Phys. Rev. A 113, 023525 – Published 26 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/35dn-vnsf
Abstract
Recent advances in mode-locked fiber lasers have enabled observation of the internal dynamics of soliton molecules, revealing their strong analogy to bound states in nonlinear systems. However, previous studies have mostly focused on passive characterization, limiting access to the rich hierarchy of nonlinear couplings within soliton molecules. Here we extend the frontier by introducing a dual-frequency-driving scheme that actively excites and manipulates the internal degrees of freedom of soliton molecules within the nonlinear Schrödinger equation framework. This approach uncovers complex temporal modulations and cascaded radio-frequency responses of the pulse separation, revealing the multilayered structure of intramolecular nonlinear interactions. Furthermore, these dynamics are further validated through coupling to quantum-limited timing noise, providing insights for controlled manipulation and information-encoding applications of dissipative soliton molecules in ultrafast photonics.
