All-fiber clad-pumped Tm3+-doped fiber amplifier using high power fiber combiner

The diode laser (LD) clad-pumped 1947.6 nm continuous wave (CW) Tm³⁺-doped fiber amplifier is reported using the master oscillation power amplifier (MOPA) method. The injected seed laser is provided by an all-fiber LD-clad-pumped Tm³⁺-doped single-mode fiber laser, which has a nearly 2.4 W maximal output power and 0.1 nm ultra-narrow linewidth based on the intracore reflection FBG. Using the 25/400 μm double-clad LMA Tm³⁺-doped fiber as the gain fiber, the output maximal output power is 30.6 W from the fiber amplifier, with a slope efficiency of 39.1% respected to the LD total output power. A high power multi-mode fiber combiner is used to couple high power LD light into the gain fiber. The output wavelength is also located at 1947.6 nm, with the slightly expanded laser linewidth of 0.2 nm.     

Top-hat beam Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-doped fiber laser using an intracavity abrupt taper

The top-hat beam clad-pumped Tm³⁺-doped fiber laser was realized simply using an intracavity multi-mode abrupt taper. The ratio of the flat-top diameter to the spot diameter reaches 53%, with a small intensity variation less than 6%, and the top-hat beam’s half-divergence angle is only 5.3°. The fiber laser has a maximal output power of 5 W with slope efficiency of 39.7%, pumped by the 792 nm diode laser (LD). The abrupt taper is directly made on the multi-mode double-clad Tm³⁺-doped fiber near the fiber laser output end with the 0.45 ratio of taper waist diameter to fiber clad diameter, and this fiber end 4% Fresnel reflection is used to be the output coupler. The fiber laser’s high reflective coupler is an intracore multi-mode FBG, which is directly written into the multi-mode Tm³⁺-doped fiber core using femtosecond laser and phase mask, at the other fiber end. The abrupt taper has no obviously influence on the fiber laser output power, and the output laser spectrum.     

All-fiber ultra-narrow linewidth 50 pm Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-doped double-clad fiber laser at 1948 nm

A high stability all-fiber LD-clad-pumped Tm³⁺-doped fiber laser was reported. The fiber laser had the ultra-narrow linewidth 50 pm at 1.948 μm with the maximal output power of 12.8 W. The slope efficiency was 28.9%, and threshold was 5.7 W. The double-clad Tm³⁺-doped fiber core was multi-mode, which had a demission of 25/250 μm with the core NA of 0.1 and inner-clad NA of 0.46. The high reflectivity coupler FBG was directly written into the single-mode passive photosensitive optical fiber core, which had a core diameter of 15 μm and NA of 0.1. The cavity was build-up by the high reflectivity FBG and the output fiber end Fresnel reflectivity.     

高效率掺Tm~(3+)双包层光纤及光纤激光器的研制

掺Tm3+光纤激光器有着广泛的应用前景,而掺Tm3+光纤是其核心与关键.本文采用改进的化学汽相沉积(MCVD)工艺和气相液相复合掺杂技术,在MCVD机车上实现了掺Tm3+石英光纤预制棒的制备,并制备了掺Tm3+石英双包层光纤(芯包比为10/125).利用上述光纤搭建直腔型全光纤激光器,在波长为793nm的LD抽运下,获得激光光谱中心波长为2002 nm,最大的激光输出功率30.7 W,光纤斜率效率为59.32%.     

A long uniform taper applied to an all-fiber Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> doped double-clad fiber laser

A long uniform taper fabricated on a large mode area Tm³⁺-doped double-clad fiber laser, which was clad-pumped by a laser diode (LD), was found to be an effective wavelength filter while improving the output beam quality and narrowing the line-width significantly. The long uniform taper was fabricated directly on the multi-mode Tm³⁺-doped fiber by heating and stretching method, and located several centimeters before the output fiber end. By slightly bending the taper section, the output laser spectrum was left with only one peak with a line-width less than 0.5 nm, compared to the multi-peak spectrum with a 5 nm line-width before tapering, indicating that the multi-mode fiber could produce quasi-single wavelength output with a long uniform taper. The beam quality factor M ² declined from 6.6 to 2.6 compared. Only a slight decrease in slope efficiency, from 19.2 to 17.5%, was observed. The main output wavelength had a blue shift of 8 nm.     

650-nm laser emission under upconversion pumping at 1.064 μm in Tm<Superscript>+3</Superscript>: ZBLAN fiber laser

We report for the first time continuous wave (CW) red laser emission in Tm⁺³-doped ZBLAN fiber laser, operated at 650 nm (¹ G ₄ → ³ F ₄ transition of Tm⁺³). The excitation uses a three step upconversion scheme. The pump source is a Nd:YAG laser operated at 1.064 μm. A laser output power of CW 80 mW was obtained for 1.42 W of launched pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to launched pump power was measured to be 7.7%. The temporal behavior of the emitted laser is also addressed.     

Multi-peak output Tm-doped silica fiber laser based on femtosecond-written multi-mode fiber Bragg grating

The all-fiber Tm-doped double-clad laser was reported, incorporating a phase mask scanning technology writing FBG directly into the Tm-doped multi-mode fiber core as cavity mirror, using 800 nm femtosecond laser sources. A fiber grating of 12 mm length was realized with a period of 1.35 μm. Pumped by the 793 nm pigtail fiber output LD, the continuous wave (CW) power could scale to 25.4 W at 1.96 μm with the slope efficiency of 38% respected to the LD output power. The output laser spectrum exhibited multi-peak, due to the multi-mode FBG reflective characteristic.     

Double-clad Tm3+-doped silica fiber laser with Bragg grating inscribed directly into active core by femtosecond laser

We report for the first time to inscribe the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) in Tm³⁺-doped multimode double-clad silica fiber by 800 nm femtosecond laser with a phase mask. The 1.35 μm period Bragg grating is written into the fiber core, which is responded to the laser center wavelength located at nearly 1960 nm. Continuous wave total output power of 11.5 W is obtained under the launched pump power of 29.8 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 45.0% and a conversion efficiency of 38.6%.     

Optimization of Yb3+-doped double-clad fiber lasers using a new approximate analytical solution

We investigated the properties of continuous wave (CW) Yb³⁺-doped double-clad fiber lasers (DCFLs) with linear-cavities theoretically and numerically using the rate equations. Under steady-state conditions, a new approximate analytical solution for CW Yb³⁺-doped double-clad fiber lasers (DCFLs) with consideration of the scattering losses were deduced. Good agreement between the proposed solution and the numerical simulation was demonstrated. Compared with the known approximate solutions published in the literature, the proposed solution has a briefer expression, higher accuracy and wider scope of application, which extends the applicable range of the analytical result to low reflective feedback mirror configurations. The solution provides a clear physical understanding of the optimal design of the CW Yb³⁺-doped DCFLs and can be applied to different pump and output configurations. Using the proposed solution, the optimal design of the CW Yb³⁺-doped DCFLs was discussed. If cavity reflectivities are given in advance, the optimal fiber length is found to be independent of the pump power. When the pump power and reflectivity of the feedback end are known in advance, the results show that the optimal fiber length increases and the optimal reflectivity of output mirror decreases with increase in pump power. Furthermore, when the feedback mirror is highly reflective, there exists a certain tolerance of the optimal parameters, in which the conversion efficiency decreases only slightly. But the conversion efficiency is sensitive to reflectivity of output mirror if feedback mirror has low reflectivity.     

全光纤超短脉冲掺Yb3+光纤环形激光器

讨论了自启动被动锁模掺Yb³⁺光纤环形激光器产生短脉冲的机理，并研制出全光纤结构超短脉冲掺Yb³⁺光纤环形激光器.采用两个976nm半导体激光器级联抽运作为抽运源，高掺杂浓度掺Yb³⁺光纤作为增益介质，利用光纤的非线性偏振旋转效应，得到自启动、十分稳定的ps量级锁模光脉冲.激光器锁模阈值功率260mW，输出功率25mW，锁模光脉冲中心波长1056nm，3dB带宽11.7nm，重复频率20MHz.与其他结构光纤激光器相比，这种全光纤结构具有更高的效率和更好的稳定性. 关键词： 环形光纤激光器 3+光纤')" href="#">高掺杂浓度掺Yb³⁺光纤 自启动 被动锁模     

Upconversion CW laser at 284 nm in a Nd:YAG-pumped double-cladding thulium-doped ZBLAN fiber laser

A successful continuous-wave (CW) ultraviolet (UV) laser in a Tm⁺³-doped ZBLAN fiber, operated at 284 nm (¹ I ₆ → ³ H ₆ transition of Tm⁺³) is demonstrated. The excitation uses a four-step upconversion scheme. The pump source is a Nd:YAG laser operated at 1.064 μm. A laser output power of 42 μW continuous wave was obtained for 590 mW of the launched pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the launched pump power was measured to be 9%. Ultraviolet (at 365 nm) and visible (at 453 and 480 nm) radiation was also observed.     

All-fiber Tm-doped double-clad fiber laser with multi-mode FBG as cavity

An all-fiber LD-clad-pumped Tm-doped fiber laser was reported, and the CW maximal output power reached 24 W at nearly 1.94 μm. The double-clad Tm-doped fiber had a demission of 25/250 μm with the core NA 0.1 and inner-clad NA 0.46. A matched passive multi-mode FBG acted as the front cavity. Cooling by the water, the 56% high slope efficiency was achieved and threshold was 6.4 W, respected to the launched pump power. At the low power pump, the fiber laser spectrum had only one peak at 1.936 μm. Increasing the launched pump power, the output laser wavelength grew to 3–4 peaks. Because the multi-mode FBG reflectivity was not very high, both ends of the fiber laser had laser output power, and the ratio was nearly 10:1.     

High power wavelength-defined all-fiber Yb3+-doped double clad fiber laser

An all-fiber Yb3+-doped double-clad fiber laser using FBGs as cavity mirrors is investigated in this paper. Continuous-wave (CW) output power of 1.18 W with defined wavelength at 1.06 um and narrow line-width of less than 0.1 nm is obtained. The slope efficiency and the maximum optical-to-optical efficiency of laser output are 68% and 51%, respectively, with respect to absorbed pump power.     

Efficient Tm, Ho-co-doped silica fibre laser diode pumped at 1150 nm

High power and highly efficient operation of a Tm³⁺, Ho³⁺-doped silica fibre laser that is pumped with diode lasers operating at 1150 nm is demonstrated. Internal slope efficiencies approaching the Stokes limit were produced and the maximum output power was 2.9 W. High power diode lasers operating at 1150 nm are valuable pump sources for a range of fibre lasers offering output in the shortwave infrared spectrum.     

LD-clad-pumped nanosecond Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript> doped silica fiber amplifier at 1.99 μm

ALD-clad-pumped nanosecond Tm³⁺ doped silica fiber amplifier was reported that provided up to a 2-W average power output with a slope efficiency of 48.6% with respect to the absorbed pumped power. The input signal central wavelength was at 1.99 μm, with a 119.5-ns pulse duration and 5-kHz repeat rates. The pump sources were a 793-nm LD output with a 400-μm pigtail fiber. The gain fiber was D-shaped Tm³⁺ doped silica double-clad fiber with a diameter of 27.5/400 μm. The output amplified pulse and spectrum were in accordance with the input signal. This is the first report to the authors’ knowledge on the general experimental investigation of a LD-clad-pumped Tm³⁺ doped silica nanosecond-fiber amplifier at 1.99 μm.     

High-power diode-pumped Tm:YLF slab laser

A 2% Tm³⁺-doped LiYF₄(Tm:YLF) slab is double-end-pumped by two laser diode stacks. The pumped volume has a rectangular cross section. The Tm:YLF laser produced 148 W of continuos-wave output at 1912 nm in a beam with M _x ²≈199 and M _y ²≈1.7 for 554 W of incident pump power. The slope efficiency with respect to the incident pump power was 32.6%, and the optical-to-optical efficiency was 26.7%.     

Comparative study of continuous wave Tm<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-doped silica and fluoride fiber lasers

We compare Tm³⁺-doped silica and fluoride fiber lasers in continuous wave operation using the same experimental setup. For incident pump powers of up to 50 W, the fluoride fiber is shown to have higher output power and efficiency compared to silica and reaches a maximum output power of 20 W at 1.94 μm. A slope efficiency of 49% (41%) and a maximum optical-to-optical efficiency of 45% (35%) at an incident pump power of 25 W (37 W) were determined for the fluoride (silica) fibers, respectively. These optical-to-optical efficiencies are the highest reported for directly diode-pumped Tm³⁺-based fiber lasers. We establish that in free-running mode, fiber lasers using fluoride glass are temporally more stable than fiber lasers using a silica host. PACS 42.55.Wd; 42.55.Xi; 42.60.Mi; 42.70.Hj     

Efficiency improvement of multimode Tm3+ doped double cladding silica fiber laser by in-line biconical tapers

Efficiencies improvement of LD (laser diode) pumped multimode large mode area (LMA) Tm³⁺ doped double cladding silica fiber lasers with different in-line biconial tapers were reported. Two types of multimode Tm³⁺ doped fiber were used in this experiment. Each type of fiber was made into three fiber lasers, a uniform geometry fiber laser and two tapered fiber lasers with different taper parameters. Biconical tapers located several centimeters from the output end of the multimode fiber lasers were made by heating and stretching method. Although the threshold of the best tapered fiber laser was added 200 mW, the slope efficiency (25.3%) and the maximum output power (1.31 W) of the fiber laser increased by 10.3% and 350 mW respectively, in comparison with the un-tapered one. Pre and post output laser power ratio was 6.3–15.6. Simultaneously, the laser spectrum moved to shorter wavelengths. The same trends of these characteristics were also observed in the other three tapered fiber lasers.     

不同脉冲重复频率下抽运方式对全光纤声光调Q激光器性能的影响

在不同初始边界条件下数值求解描述全光纤声光调Q双包层光纤激光器的速率方程,得到前向抽运结构和后向抽运结构下激光器上能级粒子数在增益光纤中的分布,以及脉冲能量、平均功率、脉宽、光纤中储能与脉冲重复频率、抽运合束器对信号光透过率、抽运功率的相互关系.从谐振腔内放大自发辐射光的产生影响谐振腔损耗的角度分析仿真结果,并实验验证两种抽运方式对输出脉冲功率和脉冲宽度的影响.结果表明：不同脉冲重复频率下抽运方式会对全光纤声光调Q激光器性能产生显著影响,为获得较好的脉冲输出性能,在重复频率较低 关键词： 光纤激光器 Q')" href="#">声光调Q 抽运方式