Uni- and bidirectional hybrid mode-locked erbium-doped isolator-free fibre laser

We have investigated a hybrid mode-locked Erbium-doped fibre ring laser without optical isolator. Creating different losses in the cavity for counter-propagating pulses via net birefringence adjusting, the laser can operate in both unidirectional regimes with extinction over 22 dB, as well as can establish stable bidirectional generation.