Anomalous dispersion in Er3+ and Yb3+-dopedfibers

In experimental and theoretical study of anomalous dispersion in Er³⁺and Er³⁺-Yb³⁺-doped fibers has been developed. Anomalous time delay caused by both absorption and emission at 1.535 μm has been theoretically calculated and experimentally measured. A pump power dependence of anomalous time delay in rare-earth-doped fibers has been theoretically calculated and experimentally investigated. It has been shown that pump power fluctuations lead to propagation time jitter in Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifiers. The pulse interaction due to refractive index change caused by gain saturation is predicted. It has been shown that for Er ³⁺-doped fibers with SiO₂-GeO₂ core composition, the anomalous dispersion per 1-dB gain is twice that of fibers with SiO₂-Al₂O₃ core, which is caused by gain curve form difference. A scheme of mutual compensation of intrinsic fiber dispersion and anomalous dispersion caused by Er³⁺ in the region 1.532-1.537 μm has been suggested     

Diode-array pumping of Er3+/Yb3+ Co-dopedfiber lasers and amplifiers

Single-mode double-clad Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped fibers are shown to be suitable for diode array pumping at around 960 nm. A fiber laser with 96-W output power at 1.53 μm and a power amplifier exhibiting a small signal gain of 24 dB and a saturated output power of +17 dBm are reported     

Optical thermometry through infrared excited upconversionfluorescence emission in Er3+- and Er3+-Yb3+-doped chalcogenide glasses

Optical thermometry based upon infrared excited upconversion fluorescence emission in Er³⁺- and Er³⁺-Yb³⁺ - doped Ga₂S₃-La₂O₃ chalcogenide glasses excited at 1.54 and 1.06 μm, respectively, is presented. Temperature sensing in the region of 20°C-220°C with 0.3°C accuracy using excitation powers readily obtainable from commercially available semiconductor lasers was achieved. The temperature sensing approach is independent of fluctuations in excitation intensity and transmission and requires a simple and low-cost signal detection and processing system. The results also indicate that the glassy host material plays a major role in the performance of the sensing system     

Er3+-doped fiber amplifier pumped by 0.98 μm laserdiodes

The performance of an Er³⁺-doped fiber amplifier pumped by 0.98 μm InGaAs laser diodes (LDs) is reported. By using a fiber with low Er³⁺ content and optimizing the fiber length, a maximum signal gain of 37.8 dB at 30-mW pump power was realized at a signal wavelength of 1.536 μm. A maximum gain coefficient of 1.9 dB/mW at 14 mW pump power was achieved. It was found that the fiber amplifier pumped by the 0.98-μm LDs is twice as efficient as that pumped by 1.48-μm LDs, from the viewpoint of both required fiber length and the attained gain     

Gain characteristics of ER3+ doped fiber with aquasi-confined structure

The fiber-structure dependence of the gain characteristics of Er ³⁺ doped fibers pumped at 1.48 μm is analyzed. The optimum V value is derived theoretically and experimentally. For step-index fibers, the optimum V value is 1.6, which is smaller than that needed to minimize spot size. The fiber with a small V value enjoys a large Er³⁺ confinement effect. For laser diode pumping, an efficiency of 1.7 dB/mW is achieved at 1.536 μm. The bending characteristics are also described     

Fabrication and characterization of Yb3+:Er3+phosphosilicate fibers for lasers

Fabrication process of efficient Yb³⁺,Er³⁺ codoped phosphosilicate fibers by modified chemical vapor deposition (MCVD) combined with the solution doping technique is studied in detail. We show that the process can be adapted to incorporate low viscosity phosphate glass and some important issues in the fabrication process are discussed. These include the sensitive presintering pass. We also report on the fabrication of a low loss all-glass double clad Yb³⁺:Er³⁺ codoped fiber. We explain how we evaluate the fibers and discuss the effect of the ytterbium to erbium concentration ratio on the laser characteristics. Finally, we present results of some investigations into the mechanisms which can affect the efficiency of the lasers, and show that the detrimental up-conversion from the metastable level of the erbium ions is dramatically reduced by the presence of the ytterbium ions     

Optimum design of Er3+-Yb3+ codoped fibersfor large-signal high-pump-power applications

A comprehensive numerical fiber amplifier model has been used to optimize Er³⁺-Yb³⁺ codoped active fiber for maximum gain and quantum conversion efficiency (QCE) at large signal operation. The optimum cutoff wavelength of the LP₁₁ mode has been found to increase from 800 mm at low pump powers (≈50 mW) to 1400 mn at pump powers higher than 500 mW. While at low pump powers fibers with higher numerical aperture give higher QCE, at high pump levels better large signal performance is achieved with fibers having lower numerical aperture     

Modulation and single-spike switching of a diode-pumped Er3+:LiYF4 laser at 2.8 μm

An Er³⁺:YLF laser at 2.8 μm pumped with two polarization-coupled diode lasers is built. The emission properties of the laser are studied. The threshold is 107 mW and the slope efficiency is 33%. The laser output is modulated by either chopping the pump beam or by chopping the resonator mode. Single-spike switching using a rotating mirror is demonstrated for the first time in bulk material lasers at 2.8 μm. Single spikes (pulse duration: 200-500 ns) are emitted with repetition rates up to 137 Hz. The temporal shape of the spikes is nearly Gaussian. Pulse duration and repetition rates are ideal for micro surgical applications. Rotating-mirror Q-switching was employed as other standard switching devices, such as acoustooptic or electrooptic modulators that were presently available to us introduce lasses to the cavity that cannot be compensated with the highest achievable gain in our system     

Fluorescence dynamics of Er3+ and Ho3+ ionsand energy transfer in some fluoride glasses

A detailed study at room temperature of the fluorescence dynamics of Er³⁺ and Ho³⁺ ions and energy transfer processes Er³⁺→Ho³⁺ in the ABLA, BATY, and BIZYT fluoride glasses is reported. Numerous concentrations and different selective laser excitations in the visible and infrared spectral ranges are used. The best concentrations and the more suitable glasses for laser applications at 2 μm are determined     

Finite-element analysis of single-frequency silica-based Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped waveguide lasers

Continuous wave laser operations of silica-based Er³⁺-Yb³⁺ co-doped waveguides have been numerically analyzed by means of a finite-element method. The theoretical model, based on propagation-rate equations, describes uniform upconversion by a dipole-dipole interaction between Er³⁺ ions, and includes a pair-induced energy transfer process from Yb ³⁺-Er³⁺ Numerical results show that single-frequency operation with slope efficiency higher than 50% and threshold pump powers of few mW can be achieved in short and heavily doped waveguides equipped with input dielectric mirrors and output distributed Bragg reflectors     

Er3+-doped Al2O3 thin films byplasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) exhibiting a 55-nmoptical bandwidth

We report the first deposition of Er³⁺-doped aluminum oxide thin-film optical waveguides by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The aluminum and erbium precursors used for the deposition of the thin films were trimethyl-aluminum and Er tri-chelate of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5 dione respectively. The samples show broad, room-temperature photoluminescence at λ=1.533 μm. The Er³⁺ concentration ranged from 0.01-0.2 at%. The full width half maximum (FWHM) of the Er³⁺ emission spectrum is 55 nm, considerably broader than in silica glass. The radiative lifetime has been measured at 50-mW pump power     

Laser cross-section and quantum yield of Er3+ at 2.7μm in a ZrF4-based fluoride glass

Spectroscopic determination of laser cross-section and quantum efficiency of the Er³⁺ laser transition at 2.7 μm are reported for the first time for a fluoride glass of the ZBLAN type. Comparisons with crystal values and other glass compositions are given. Emission spectra of Er³⁺ at 2.7 μm are also presented for the first time     

The effect of pair-induced energy transfer on the performance ofsilica waveguide amplifiers with high Er3+/Yb3+concentrations

High-concentration Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped silica waveguide amplifiers are numerically analyzed. With optimized rare-earth concentrations the effect of Er³⁺/Er³⁺ ion-pairs can be neglected and each Er³⁺ ion can be assumed to be paired only to the surrounding Yb³⁺ ions. The rate-equations model includes uniform upconversion mechanisms from ⁴I_13/2 and ⁴I_11/2 erbium levels and an Yb³⁺ to Er³⁺ pair-induced energy transfer process. Numerical results demonstrate the possibility of fabricating short- and high-gain integrated optical amplifiers; it is shown that net gain as high as 3 dB/cm can be obtained     

Laser action from Ho3+, Er3+, and Tm3+in YAlO3

Laser action has been observed for the following rare-earth ions in YAlO3:Ho³⁺(sensitized with Er³⁺and Tm³⁺), Er³⁺, and Tm³⁺(sensitized with Er³⁺) at wavelengths of 2.123, 0.851, and 1.861 μm, respectively. Measurements of spectroscopic properties, fluorescence kinetics, and laser performance of these ions in YAlO3are reported.     

Continuous-wave laser action in Er3+:YLF at 3.41 μm

Continuous-wave laser emission at 3.41 μm from an erbium-doped LiYF₄ crystal (Er³⁺:YLF) at 77 K is demonstrated. Operation of this four-level laser is based on the Er^{3+ 4}F_9/2-⁴I_9/2 transition. An output power of 12 mW and a slope efficiency of 2% have been achieved     

Efficient integrated Nd3+ fiber laser

An efficient, integrated, low-threshold, tunable, laser-diode pumped Nd³⁺ fiber laser has been fabricated. The integrated fiber laser incorporated two highly reflecting intracore Bragg reflectors, which were formed holographically by transversely exposing the core to a UV two-beam interference pattern. When the fiber laser was diode pumped, a maximum output of 2.3 mW was observed at 1.088 μm, and a slope efficiency of 41% was measured     

On the dynamics of population inversion for 3 μm Er3+lasers

A generalized model for 3-μm (⁴I_11/2 →⁴I_13/2)Er lasers is proposed. The essential energy transfer processes present in the single-doped Er ³⁺ systems (up-conversion from ⁴I_13/2, up-conversion from ⁴ I_11/2, cross-relaxation from ⁴S _3/2), as well as those present in Cr³⁺ codoped Er ³⁺ systems, are taken into account. In the frame of this model, the main features of 3 μm Er³⁺ lasers, such as long pulse or CW operation, the change of emission wavelength as a function of pumping conditions, and the effects of codoping with Ho³⁺ or Tm³⁺ ions, are explained     

Limits of the output power in Er3+:ZBLAN singlemodefibre lasers

The saturation of the 2.71 μm laser output has been measured in erbium-doped ZBLAN singlemode fibres with Er³⁺ concentrations of 1000, 5000 and 10000 ppm mol. Limits of the single-mode-laser output are discussed