Fig. 1. Structural characterization of MXene (V2CTx). (a) SEM image of V2C after selective removal of Al. (b) TEM image of exfoliated V2CTx nanosheets. (c) HRTEM image of exfoliated V2CTx nanosheets. (d) AFM image of exfoliated V2CTx nanosheets. (e) XRD patterns of V2AlC, V2C, and exfoliated V2CTx nanosheets. (f) UV-Vis-NIR spectrum of exfoliated V2CTx nanosheets.

Fig. 2. (a) Experimental setup for testing the spectral response of the bare MKR and MXene-deposited MKR. Insets: optical microscopic images of MXene-deposited MKR illuminated by a red laser and a close-up of MXene-deposited MKR (inset). Transmission spectra of (b) the bare MKR and (c) the MXene-deposited MKR.

Fig. 3. (a) Experimental configuration of all-optical phase modulator based on the MXene-deposited MKR. (b) Thermograms of MXene-deposited MKR under pump power of 0 mW (upper) and 71 mW (lower). (c) Normalized transmission spectrum under pump power of 0 mW (blue dashed line) and 50 mW (red solid line). (d) Phase shift versus pump power. (e) Experimental configuration of all-optical intensity modulator based on the MXene-deposited MKR. (f) Waveforms of input pump light (black solid line), output signal light (blue solid line), and its fitting curves (red dotted line).

Fig. 4. (a) Experimental setup of the wavelength tunable fiber laser enabled by the proposed AOM. (b) Typical laser spectrum at PUMP1 power of 34 mW. (c) The laser spectra at different PUMP2 powers (0 mW, 6 mW, 10 mW, 17 mW, and 22 mW). (d) Dependence of central wavelength and spectral width on PUMP2 power. (e) The laser spectrum at PUMP2 power of 33 mW.

Fig. 5. (a) Schematic diagram of the actively Q-switched fiber laser enabled by the proposed AOM. (b) Waveforms of active Q-switching pulse trains. (c) Single pulse profile fitted by a Gaussian function. (d) Laser spectrum.