Observation of Hidden Asymmetry in Polarization Space for Dissipative Soliton Fiber Lasers.

Dissipative solitons appear widely in physical systems with dissipative energy exchange, which have been regarded as an excellent platform for exploring nonlinear dynamics. The complex interactions among dispersion management and nonlinearity result in abundant asymmetric behaviors in diverse parameter spaces. Nevertheless, conventional detection methods impede direct and single-shot measurements of the transient polarization dynamics of dissipative solitons. Here, by using the division-of-amplitude method combined with dispersive Fourier transform techniques, we have experimentally observed the internal evolution of dissipative solitons in polarization space. By disturbing the cavity birefringence, we obtain asymmetrical spectra due to nonlinear phase evolution within numerous temporal roundtrips. The different phases across the lasing wavelengths result in wavelength-resolved symmetric breakage in polarization space, which is difficult to find in spectrum or pulse-shape measurements. The direct observation of hidden asymmetry in polarization space for dissipative soliton fiber lasers will facilitate theoretical modeling of mode-locked laser systems with complicated configurations, and it may also promote applications for polarization spectroscopy.