LAUSR

Abstract The buildup process of coherent structures and patterns from the composite balance between conservative and dissipative effects is a universal phenomenon that occurs in various areas of physics, ranging from quantum mechanics to astrophysics. Dissipative solitons are highly coherent solutions of nonlinear wave equations, and provide an excellent research platform for ultrafast transient phenomena. Herein, by taking advantage of the fast detection technique provided by the dispersive Fourier transform, we experimentally observe the spectral broadening and breathing behavior of transient dissipative structures produced asynchronously during the buildup process of dissipative solitons. These observations unveil a novel dynamics of dissipative soliton generation, which is accompanied by energy quantization, self-phase modulation induced spectral broadening, structural dissipative soliton formation, and Raman soliton self-frequency shifting, thus providing a new insight in transient ultrafast laser dynamics.