Observation and all-optical manipulation of replica symmetry breaking dynamics in a multi-Stokes-involved Brillouin random fiber laser photonic system

Abstract

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate an all-optical control of RSB transition in a multi-wavelength Brillouin random fiber laser (MWBRFL). Multi-order Stokes light components can be subsequently generated by increasing the power of the Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) inside the MWBRFL, providing additional disorder as well as multiple Stokes-involved interplay. It essentially allows diversified laser mode landscapes with adjustable average mode lifetime and random mode density of the 1st order Stokes, which benefits the switching between replica symmetry breaking (RSB) and replica symmetry (RS) states in an optically controlled manner. Results show that the average mode lifetime of the 1st order Stokes component gradually decreases from 250.0 ms to 1.2 ms as high orders from the 2nd to the 5th of Stokes components are activated. Meanwhile, the order parameter q of the 1st order Stokes random lasing emission presents distinct statistical distributions within the selective sub-window under various EDFA optical powers. Consequently, all-optical dynamical control of the 1st Stokes random laser mode landscapes with adjustable average mode lifetime turns out to be attainable, facilitating the RSB transition under an appropriate observation time window. These findings open a new avenue for exploring the underlying physical mechanisms behind the occurrence of the RSB phenomenon in photonic complex systems.