A 1.6-μm pumped 1.9-μm thulium-doped fluoride fiber laser and amplifier of very high efficiency

Author

Percival, R. Michael ; Szebesta, Daryl ; Seltzer, Colin P. ; Perin, S.D. ; Davey, Steven T. ; Louka, M.

Author_Institution

BT&D Technol. Ltd., Ipswich, UK

Volume

31

Issue

3

fYear

1995

fDate

3/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

489

Lastpage

493

Abstract

Results are presented for color center, and semiconductor, laser pumping of the 1.82 μm transition in a thulium-doped fluoride fiber. As an amplifier small signal gain efficiencies of 8.1 dB/mN were attained with a maximum gain of 36.5 dB being achieved for around 17-18 mW of launched pump power. As a laser a maximum slope efficiency of 84% and a minimum threshold for oscillation of 330 μW was also demonstrated for this system. Furthermore by suppressing all reflections down to <36 dB superfluorescent or ASE output was observed. In achieving efficient operation with a diode laser pump source this system shows strong commercial potential

Keywords

aluminium compounds; barium compounds; fibre lasers; infrared sources; lanthanum compounds; laser transitions; optical pumping; oscillations; reflectivity; sodium compounds; superradiance; thulium; zirconium compounds; 1.6 mum; 1.82 μm transition; 1.82 mum; 1.9 mum; 17 to 18 mW; 36.5 dB; ASE output; ZBLAN:Tm; ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF:Tm; color center laser pumping; diode laser pump source; launched pump power; maximum gain; maximum slope efficiency; minimum threshold; oscillation; reflections; semiconductor laser pumping; small signal gain efficiencies; superfluorescent; thulium-doped fluoride fiber laser; thulium-doped fluoride fiber laser amplifier; very high efficiency; Diode lasers; Fiber lasers; Gain; Laser excitation; Laser transitions; Optical reflection; Power amplifiers; Pump lasers; Semiconductor lasers; Solid lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9197

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/3.364404

Filename

364404