Fig. 1. Experimental setup. EDF, Er-doped fiber; WDM, wavelength-division multiplexer; SWNT, single-walled carbon nanotubes; PC, polarization controller; EPC, electronic polarization controller; PZF, polarizing fiber; ISO, isolator; SMF, single-mode fiber; DCF, dispersion compensating fiber; DSO, digital storage oscilloscope.

Fig. 2. Experimental results of the build-up of bidirectional solitons: clockwise (top) and counter-clockwise (bottom) (see Visualization 1 and Visualization 2). (a),(c) The real-time spectral and (b),(d) the field autocorrelation evolution with the characteristic cross sections. (e) Energy evolution of clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) pulses. Inset: breathing dynamics zoom-in.

Fig. 3. Stage III: Breathing dynamics. (a),(c) Single-shot spectra and (b),(d) field autocorrelation evolution. Detailed dynamics of (e) counter-clockwise single-shot pulse spectrum and (f) field autocorrelation.