Multistability evolution and hysteresis phenomena of dissipative solitons in a passively mode-locked fiber laser with large normal cavity dispersion.

We report on the experimental observations of multiple dissipative solitons in a passively mode-locked fiber laser with large normal cavity dispersion. The dynamic evolution of solitons as a function of the pump power is demonstrated, alternately evolving on the stable and unstable states. The proposed laser produces the multiple solitons of up to ten for the pump power of about 406 mW. Multistability and hysteresis phenomena observed in this report are qualitatively distinct from those observed in the large net-anomalous-dispersion conventional-soliton fiber lasers. The experimental results suggest that the accumulation of excessive pulse chirps together with the nonlinear polarization effect play key roles in the multistability operation of dissipative solitons.