Heterostructure nanocluster MOF-derived Ag-CuO: An emerging material for harmonic soliton pulses generation

In recent years, metal-organic framework (MOF) and their derivatives have attracted many researchers due to excellent characteristics, such as good stability, high capacity, and a modest third order nonlinear optical response. Compared with conventional optical materials, MOF-oxide are easier to benefit photonic research. However, for nonlinear optics and ultrafast photonics, research on MOFs-Transition metal oxide is still in its infancy. In this work, MOF-derived Ag-CuO was prepared by hydrothermal method and applied in passively mode-locked fiber laser. Experimental results show that MOF-derived Ag-CuO possesses excellent optical absorption, functioning as a saturable absorber (SA). The laser based on MOF-derived Ag-CuO SA realizes three different mode-locking states, including traditional soliton with the pulse width of 1.04 ps, 32nd order harmonic soliton molecule, and soliton rain pulse, with the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 73 dB. This work lays the foundation of its application in ultrashort photonics and optical communication, broadening the future of MOF-derived Ag-CuO.