Mode-locking dynamics of triple attractors in a wavelength-multiplexing fiber laser

We demonstrate the coexistence of triple attractors in a mode-locked ring fiber laser with equal dual-gain-channel. Even under identical cavity conditions, quantum noise can evolve into three distinct stable states: tightly bound soliton, asynchronous dual-wavelength pulses, and loosely bound soliton. The mode-locking dynamics reveal that the final state depends on whether the dispersive wave or the residual noise pulse dominates the gain competition, which is significantly influenced by the modulation depth of the saturable absorber. By reducing the modulation depth from 70% to 5%, the probability of forming asynchronous dual-wavelength pulses increases from 33% to 90%. Our findings offer what we believe to be new insights into the dynamics of dual-gain-channel fiber laser and underscore the critical role of the saturable absorber in wavelength-multiplexing.