Jeffrey P. Koplow

Single-mode operation of a coiled multimode fiber amplifier

We report a new approach to obtaining single-transverse-mode operation of a multimode fiber amplifier in which the gain fiber is coiled to induce significant bend loss for all but the lowest-order mode. We demonstrated this method by constructing a coiled amplifier using Yb-doped, double-clad fiber with a core diameter of 25 microm and a numerical aperture of ~0.1 (V approximately 7.4) . When the amplifier was operated as an amplified-spontaneous-emission source, the output beam had an M(2) value of 1.09 +/- 0.09 ; when seeded at 1064 nm, the slope efficiency was similar to that of an uncoiled amplifier. This technique will permit scaling of pulsed fiber lasers and amplifiers to significantly higher pulse energies and peak powers and cw fiber sources to higher average powers while maintaining excellent beam quality.

Diffraction-limited, 300-kW peak-power pulses from a coiled multimode fiber amplifier

We report a multimode, double-clad, Yb-doped fiber amplifier that produces diffraction-limited, 0.8-ns pulses with energies of 255 muJ and peak powers in excess of 300 kW at a repetition rate of ~8 kHz . Single-transverse-mode operation was obtained by bend-loss-induced mode filtering of the gain fiber.

A new method for side pumping of double-clad fiber sources

We report a new method for pumping of double-clad, rare-earth-doped fiber sources using diode lasers, diode bars, or fiber-coupled pump sources. In this technique, the pump beam is launched by reflection from a mirror that is embedded in a channel cut into the inner cladding. The mirror may be curved to reduce the divergence of the pump beam, thereby allowing the use of highly divergent pump sources and low-numerical-aperture inner claddings. Additional advantages include high coupling efficiency, little loss of brightness in coupling the pump beam, relatively low sensitivity to misalignment, no obstruction of the fiber ends, no loss for light propagating in the core, simplicity (low parts count), compact and rugged packaging, scalability to high power, and low cost. Because of the large alignment tolerances, the technique is uniquely well suited to the direct coupling of the output of a diode bar into one or more double-clad fibers. We present a detailed description and characterization of the technique. We also describe the performance of Yb-doped and Er-Yb-doped fiber amplifiers constructed with this method, including amplifiers with saturated output powers of 5.2 W (1064-nm wavelength) and 2.6 W (1550 nm) when pumped with two laser diodes.

Highly efficient 4-W Yb-doped fiber amplifier pumped by a broad-stripe laser diode

A Yb-doped double-cladding fiber amplifier is v-groove side pumped by a 100-microm -wide, broad-stripe, 975-nm laser diode. The amplifier exhibits, separately, 39% electrical-to-optical conversion efficiency, 89% internal optical-to-optical conversion efficiency, 4-W output power at 1060 nm, and a small-signal gain of 53 dB.

Efficient second, third, fourth, and fifth harmonic generation of a Yb-doped fiber amplifier

We report generation of the second, third, fourth, and fifth harmonics of the output of a Yb-doped fiber amplifier seeded by a passively Q-switched Nd:YAG microchip laser. We obtained high conversion efficiencies using a simple optical arrangement and critically phase-matched nonlinear crystals. Starting with 320 mW of average power at 1064 nm (86 μJ per pulse at a 3.7 kHz repetition rate), we generated 160 mW at 532 nm, 38 mW at 355 nm, 69 mW at 266 nm, and 18 mW at 213 nm. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with calculations.

High-power superfluorescent source with a side-pumped Yb-doped double-cladding fiber

A compact superfluorescent source based on an Yb-doped double-cladding fiber amplifier is described. The packaged amplifier is pumped at 975 nm by side-coupling emission from a 2.0-W broad-stripe laser diode through an imbedded V groove. The fiber source generates 485 mW of broadband emission centered at 1055 nm with a 41-nm FWHM flat power spectrum.

Mid-infrared difference-frequency generation source pumped by 1.1-1.5 micrometer dual-wavelength fiber amplifier for trace-gas detection

Continuous-wave mid-infrared radiation near 3.5 micrometers is generated by difference-frequency mixing of the output of a compact 1.1-1.5 micrometer dual-wavelength fiber amplifier in periodically poled LiNbO3. The diode side-pumped amplifier is constructed with double-cladding Yb-doped fiber followed by single-mode Er/Yb codoped fiber. Output powers of as much as 11 microW at 3.4 micrometers are obtained, and spectroscopic detection of CH4 and H2CO is demonstrated.

Polarization-maintaining amplifier employing double-clad bow-tie fiber

We report a polarization-maintaining double-clad Yb-doped fiber amplifier employing bow-tie fiber. Borosilicate stress elements were incorporated into the inner cladding of the fiber, yielding a beat length of 5.1 mm at 633 nm. When the fiber was pumped at 975 nm and seeded with linearly polarized light, the polarization extinction ratio was >15 dB , independent of pump power, and the output power was as high as 3.5 W.

Compact 1-W Yb-doped double-cladding fiber amplifier using V-groove side-pumping

A compact packaged fiber amplifier was constructed using a Yb-doped double-cladding fiber, which was V-groove side-pumped by a laser diode operating at 975 nm. Under saturation, the amplifier generated 1 W at 1064 nm. The small-signal gain reached a maximum of 50 dB at 1075 nm and was greater than 40 dB in the range of 1042-1093 nm.

High-power continuous-wave mid-infrared radiation generated by difference frequency mixing of diode-laser-seeded fiber amplifiers and its application to dual-beam spectroscopy

We report the generation of up to 0.7 mW of narrow-linewidth (<60-MHz) radiation at 3.3 micrometers by difference frequency mixing of a Nd:YAG-seeded 1.6-W Yb fiber amplifier and a 1.5-micrometers diode-laser-seeded 0.6-W Er/Yb fiber amplifier in periodically poled LiNbO3. A conversion efficiency of 0.09%/W (0.47 mWW-2 cm-1) was achieved. A room-air CH4 spectrum acquired with a compact 80-m multipass cell and a dual-beam spectroscopic configuration indicates an absorption sensitivity of +/-2.8 x 10(-5) (+/-1 sigma), corresponding to a sub-parts-in-10(9) (ppb) CH4 sensitivity (0.8 ppb).