Hans-Jürgen Otto

Experimental observations of the threshold-like onset of mode instabilities in high power fiber amplifiers

We report on the observation and experimental characterization of a threshold-like onset of mode instabilities, i.e. an apparently random relative power content change of different transverse modes, occurring in originally single-mode high-power fiber amplifiers. Although the physical origin of this effect is not yet fully understood, we discuss possible explanations. Accordingly, several solutions are proposed in this paper to raise the threshold of this effect.

Temporal dynamics of mode instabilities in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers

The temporal behavior of mode instabilities in active large mode area fibers is experimentally investigated in detail. Thus, apart from the onset threshold of mode instabilities, the output beam is characterized using both high-speed camera measurements with 20,000 frames per second and photodiode traces. Based on these measurements, an empiric definition of the power threshold of mode instabilities is introduced. Additionally, it is shown that the temporal dynamics show a transition zone between the stable and the unstable regimes where well-defined periodic temporal fluctuations on ms-timescale can be observed. Finally, it is experimentally shown that the larger the mode-field area, the slower the mode-instability fluctuation is. The observations support the thermal origin of mode instabilities.

Physical origin of mode instabilities in high-power fiber laser systems

Mode instabilities, i.e. the rapid fluctuations of the output beam of an optical fiber that occur after a certain output power threshold is reached, have quickly become one of the most limiting effects for the further power scaling of fiber laser systems. Even though much work has been done over the last year, the exact origin of the temporal dynamics of this phenomenon is not fully understood yet. In this paper we show that the origin of mode instabilities can be explained by taking into account the interplay between the temporal evolution of the three-dimensional temperature profile inside of the active fiber and the related waveguide changes that it produces via the thermo-optical effect. In particular it is proposed that non-adiabatic waveguide changes play an important role in allowing energy transfer from the fundamental mode into the higher order mode. As it is discussed in the paper, this description of mode instabilities can explain many of the experimental observations reported to date.

Thermally induced waveguide changes in active fibers

Thermally induced waveguide changes become significant for very large mode area fibers. This results in a reduction of the mode-field diameter, but simultaneously in an improvement of the beam quality. In this work the first systematic experimental characterization of the reduction of the mode-field diameter in various fibers during high-power operation is carried out. It is shown that the reduction of the mode-field diameter shows a characteristic behavior that scales with the core size but that is independent of the particular fiber design. Furthermore, the strength of the actual index change is experimentally estimated, and its use to overcome avoided crossings is discussed and experimentally demonstrated.

High-speed modal decomposition of mode instabilities in high-power fiber lasers

A high-speed mode analysis technique is required to gain fundamental understanding of mode instabilities in high-power fiber laser systems. In this work a technique, purely based on the intensity profile of the beam, is demonstrated to be ideally suited to analyze fiber laser dynamics. This technique, together with a high-speed camera, has been applied to the study of the temporal dynamics of mode instabilities at high average powers with up to 20,000 frames per second. These measurements confirm that energy transfer between the fluctuating transversal modes takes place in millisecond-time-scale.

The influence of index-depressions in core-pumped Yb-doped large pitch fibers

Rare-earth doped photonic crystal fibers rely ideally on an index matching of the doped core to the surrounding glass to work properly. Obtaining a perfect index matching is technologically very challenging, and fiber manufacturers opt for targeting an index depression instead, which still ensures the influence of the photonic structure on the light propagation. In this paper the analysis of the influence of this core index depression on the higher-order mode discrimination and on the beam quality of the fundamental mode of different designs of core-pumped active large pitch photonic crystal fibers is discussed. The most promising design is evaluated in terms of mode area scaling with a view to mode field diameters above 100 µm. Detailed requirements on the accuracy of the core index matching are deduced.

Impact of photodarkening on the mode instability threshold.

The threshold-like onset of mode instabilities is currently the main limitation for the scaling of the average output power of fiber laser systems with diffraction limited beam quality. In this contribution, the impact of a wavelength shift of the seed signal on the mode instability threshold has been investigated. Against expectations, it is experimentally shown that the highest mode instabilities threshold is reached around 1030 nm and not for the smallest wavelength separation between pump and signal. This finding implies that the quantum defect is not the only source of thermal heating in the fiber. Systematic experiments and simulations have helped in identifying photodarkening as the most likely second heat source in the fiber. It is shown that even a negligible photodarkening-induced power loss can lead to a decrease of the mode instabilities threshold by a factor of two. Consequently, reduction of photodarkening is a promising way to mitigate mode instabilities.

Temperature-induced index gratings and their impact on mode instabilities in high-power fiber laser systems

Mode-interference along an active fiber in high-power operation gives rise to a longitudinally oscillating temperature profile which, in turn, is converted into a strong index grating via the thermo-optic effect. In the case of mode beating between the fundamental mode and a radially anti-symmetric mode such a grating exhibits two periodic features: a main one which is radially symmetric and has half the period of the modal beating, and a second one that closely follows the mode interference pattern and has its same period. In the case of modal beating between two radially symmetric modes the thermally induced grating only has radially symmetric features and exhibits the same period of the mode interference. The relevance of such gratings in the context of the recently observed mode instabilities of high-power fiber laser systems is discussed.

Passive mitigation strategies for mode instabilities in high-power fiber laser systems

In this contribution, experimental approaches to control mode instabilities (MI) at average output powers higher than 330 W, which corresponds to three times the typical power threshold of the fiber laser system in use, is presented. Hereby, an acousto-optic deflector is used to change rapidly the beam position of the seed signal on the fiber core at the input side. Dynamic excitation is combined with an electronic feedback loop to actively stabilize the beam profile.

Designing advanced very-large-mode-area fibers for power scaling of fiber-laser systems

Fiber lasers are a highly regarded solid-state laser concept due to their high efficiency, beam quality, and easy thermal management. Unfortunately, the performance of high-power fiber-laser systems is challenged by the onset of detrimental nonlinear effects. Their impact can be reduced dramatically by employing fibers with larger mode-field areas. Even though this is an efficient way to mitigate nonlinear effects, maintaining effective single-mode operation, and with it high beam quality, becomes increasingly difficult as the core is enlarged. In this paper the demands and challenges for the design of a very-large-mode-area (VLMA) fiber are discussed. The benefits of using higher-order mode delocalization as the working principle of active double-clad VLMA fibers are described. Finally, a new low-symmetry large-pitch fiber, which is expected to improve the performance of state-of-the-art fiber-laser systems by increasing higher-order mode delocalization, is proposed and thoroughly analyzed.