Er^3＋ and Yb^3＋ Codoped Phosphate Laser Glass for High Power Flashlamp Pumping

A novel yb^3＋-Er^3＋ codoped phosphate glass for high power flashlamp pumping and high repetition rate laser at 1.54μm, designated EAT5-2, is developed. The weight-loss rate of is 1.3 × 10^-5 gcm^-2h^-1 in boiling water, which is comparable to Kigre＇s QX-Er glass. Some spectroscopic parameters are analysed by Judd-Ofelt theory and McCumber theory. The emission cross section is calculated to be 0.73 × 10^-20 cm^2. The thermo-mechanical properties of EAT5-2 are modified after an ion-exchange chemical strengthening process in a KNO3/NaNO3 molten salt bath. The thresholds for optical damage from the flashlamp pumping are tested on glass rods. A repetition rate of 15 Hz is achieved for chemically strengthened glass. The laser experimental results at 1.54 μm from flashlamp pumping are also reported.     

Self-Starting Passively Mode-Locked Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Phosphate Glass All-Fibre Ring Laser

A self-starting, passively mode-locked all-fibre ring laser based on the homemade Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ codoped phosphate glass fibre is reported. Dual-pump sources were used to achieve the mode-locked operation in the experiment. The fundamental mode-locked pulse repetition rate is 10.67MHz. The pulse duration, assumed as the fit of hyperbolic secant pulse shape, is 5.82ps. We also observe the multi-pulse output of the fibre laser.     

Upconversion Luminescence Dynamics in Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Nanocrystalline Yttria

The upconversion luminescence and dynamics in Er^3＋ /Yb^3＋ codoped nanocrystalline yttria （7-65 nm） are studied under 980-nm pulsed laser excitation, It is found that the red emission of ^4F9/2-^4I15/2 and the green emission of ^2H11/2/^4S3/2 in nanoparticles with lower concentration of Yb^3＋ result from a two-photon excitation, In nanocrystals with higher Yb^3＋ concentration, the red emissions from a two-photon excitation, while the green emissions from a three-photon excitation, The luminescence dynamics indicates that as the particle size decreases, both the rise and the decay time constants become shorter, As the size decreases to several nanometres, the rise process nearly disappears, suggesting that the upconversion luminescence originates mainly from self-excitation of Er^3＋, instead of the energy transfer of Yb^3＋→ Er^3＋.     

Upconversion properties of Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ co-doped TeO2-Nb2O5-Li2O glasses

The Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ co-doped TeO2-Nb2O5-Li2O glass is prepared by conventional melting method, and its upconversion spectra are measured. The intense green upconversion luminescence upon excitation with a 976 nm laser diode is observed with the naked eyes. The dependence of luminescence intensity on the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is discussed in detail, and the relationship between the ratio of green luminescence intensity to red luminescence intensity and the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is also studied, The luminescence intensity increases with the ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ increasing. The ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ plays a more important role than the concentration of Er^3＋ in determining the upconversion luminescence intensity. The ratio of green luminescence intensity to red luminescence intensity reaches a maximum when ratio of Yb^3＋/Er^3＋ is 3. Thus the glass could be one of the potential candidates for LD pumping solid-state lasers.     

Gain Characteristics of Er^3＋-Doped Phosphate Glass Fibres

An erbium-doped phosphate glass fibre has been drawn by the rod-in-tube technique in our laboratory. The gain for the Er^3＋-doped phosphate glass fibre with different pump powers and with different input signal wavelengths is investigated. The 2.2-cm-long fibre, pumped by a single-mode 980-nm fibre-pigtailed laser diode, can provide a net gain per unit length greater than 1.SdB/cm. The pump threshold is about 50mW at the wavelength of 1534nm, and below 70roW at 1550nm. The gain linewidth of the Er^3＋-doped phosphate glass fibre is greater than 34 nm and can cover the C band in optical communication networks.     

Laser Characteristics of Cladding-Pumped Short Er^3＋/yb^3＋ Codoped Single Mode Phosphate Glass Fibre

We experimentally investigate the laser characteristics of a series of short pieces of newly-developed Er^3＋/ Yb^3＋ codoped single mode phosphate glass fibres via the cladding pump of a 976nm multimode laser diode. A stable continuous-wave single transverse mode laser with over 85 m W at 1553nm is generated from a 5.5-em-long active fibre. Single mode laser output power per unit length is up to 15 mW/cm. Moreover, the slope efficiency is 11.8% when the pump power is below 940mW and the 3dB linewidth is 0.06nm at the maximum pump power. The numerical simulation results show that the laser emission slope efficiency can exceed 20% by means of increasing the coupling efficiency of the pump to the fibre core further.     

High-Power Er^3＋／Yb^3＋ Codoped Double-Cladding Fibre Amplifier with More Than 2 W Output Power

A high-power Er^3 /Yb^3 -codoped double-cladding all-fibre amplifier was successfully demonstrated and exper-imentally investigated. The amplifier could be operated with a maximum output power of 2.18 W and 2.11 Wat 1541nm and 1550nm wavelengths, respectively, when the maximum pump power was 6.07W. The powerconversion effciency was up to 35.6% and 34.4% at the two wavelengths, respectively. The output power and the gain were greater than 2.00 W and 20.OdB, respectively, in the wavelength range from 1539nm to 1565nmfor 20.OmW input signal power. The gain fluctuation and the noise figure around 1550nm wavelength were less than 0.3 dB and 6.0 dB, respectively.     

Efficient Fibre Amplifiers Based on a Highly Er3＋/Yb3＋ Codoped Phosphate Glass-Fibre

Highly Er3＋ /yb3＋-codoped single-mode phosphate glass fibre is fabricated by the rod-in-tube technique. The performances of high-concentration Er3＋ /yb3＋-codoped phosphate glass fibre amplifiers are investigated and discussed. An efficient optical fibre amplifier with a gain of 12.6 dB based on a 3.0 cm long Era＋ /ybe＋-codoped phosphate glass fibre is demonstrated under a dual-pump configuration with two 976 nm fibre-pigtail laser diodes, which make it attractive for compact Er3＋-doped fibre amplifiers. The obtedned noise figures of signal wavelength from 1525 to 1565nm are less than 6.0dB. Gain saturation behaviour at 1535nm is also investigated, and the obtained saturation output power is larger than 10 dBm.     

A Dual-Wavelength Cladding-Pumped Er^3＋/Yb^3＋ Codoped Fibre Laser System with More Than 2 W Output and Tunable Wavelength Spacing

A dual-wavelength laser system with wideband tunable wavelength spacing and more than 2 W output power is proposed and demonstrated. The operation principle of the laser system is based on the saturation gain characteristic of a cladding-pumped Era＋ /yba＋ co-doped fibre amplifier combining with a wideband tunable fibre laser with fiat power spectrum. The tuning range of the wavelength spacing is continuous within a 35 nm spectral range, and the power difference between both lasing wavelengths can be easily adjusted and controlled by a variable optical attenuator. The total output power can approximately keep unchangeable when the wavelength spacing and the power difference between both lasing wavelengths are continuously tuned and changed. The maximum total output power of the laser system is about 2.22 W.     

Yb^3＋/Er^3＋掺杂氟氧化物微晶玻璃的制备与发光性能

采用高温熔融法制备了Yb3＋/Er3＋掺杂的氟氧化物发光微晶玻璃,确定了最佳熔化温度（1 100℃）和退火温度（440℃,480℃）。测定得到基质玻璃的透过率为85%,掺入稀土后,透过率有所下降,并出现了稀土离子的特征吸收峰。980 nm半导体激光器（LD）激发下样品的上转换发射光谱存在4个明显的发射峰,分别为410,532,546和656 nm,对应于2H9/2→4I15/2,2H11/2→4I15/2,4S3/2→4I15/2和4F9/2→4I15/2跃迁。研究了不同Yb3＋/Er3＋（摩尔分数）和Er3＋浓度对上转换发光强度的影响,当Yb3＋∶Er3＋=4∶1、Er3＋摩尔分数为1.5%时,上转换发光强度达到最高。根据发光强度与泵浦功率之间的关系,确定了上转换发射均为双光子过程。讨论了Yb3＋,Er3＋离子间的能量传递,建立了上转换发光机制。