Flat-topped optical spectrum as a specific marker of multi-pulse grouping in a soliton fiber laser

We report the experimental observation of a stable generation regime in a soliton fiber laser, characterized by a distinct flat-topped optical spectrum. Notably, in multi-pulse generation, this specific spectrum shape prevents the harmonic mode-locking state, instead connecting the solitons into bound complexes or tight chaotic bunches. Physically, this suggests that in the observed regime, long-range attractive forces dominate over the inter-pulse repulsion across the entire laser cavity. Our experimental findings align with numerical simulations, which demonstrate that the predominance of a long-range inter-pulse attraction is due to a complex interaction mechanism. This mechanism combines the generation of dispersive waves with dissipative forces arising from gain depletion and recovery.