Abstract
We report the results of an experimental study aimed at improving the performance of actively Q-switched fiber lasers. Unlike generic design schemes employing photonic crystal fibers, largemodal diameter fibers or double-clad fibers, we demonstrate a high-power, actively Q-switched laser based on standard com- munication erbium doped fibers with peak irradiance beyond the state-of-the-art at 3.1 GW/cm2 . The laser had 2.2 kW peak power, 15.5 ns pulse duration and 36.8 µJ pulse energy. We have also investigated the dynamics of pulse generation and have success- fully suppressed pulse instabilities caused by backscattered laser emission reaching the pump laser diodes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 16 Jan 2014 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Sept 2014 |
Bibliographical note
© 2014 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.Keywords
- active Q-switching
- erbium-doped fiber laser
- fiber lasers
- giant pulse