基于氢气填充空芯光子晶体光纤的全光纤型气体拉曼光源特性

理论和实验研究了调Q光纤激光脉冲抽运基于氢气填充空芯光子晶体光纤气体腔的全光纤型气体拉曼光源的特性。抽运光脉冲波长为1064.7nm时,产生的Stokes频移光波长为1135.7nm。理论和实验结果均表明,产生的Stokes频移光脉冲宽度远小于抽运光脉冲,并且,Stokes频移光脉冲宽度随抽运光脉冲能量的提升而增加。此外,减小抽运光脉冲宽度,可以降低拉曼阈值抽运能量、提高Stokes频移光的转换效率。在重复频率为5kHz、脉冲宽度为125ns的调Q光纤激光脉冲抽运下,实验测得拉曼阈值抽运能量和拉曼阈值点处转换效率分别为2.13μJ和9.82%。     

Design, performance, and limitations of fibers for cladding-pumped Raman lasers

In this paper, we present basic design rules for double-clad fibers that enable efficient 1st-Stokes operation of cladding-pumped fiber Raman devices. Limiting factors that we treat include unwanted 2nd-Stokes generation, material damage in the core, pump pulse dispersion, inner-cladding NA, background loss, pulse shape and pump noise. With a well-designed fiber, we calculate that a pump-to-signal brightness enhancement of over 2000 is possible, with certain pump parameters. On experimental work, we report a 100 W cladding-pumped fiber Raman laser at 1120 nm. Furthermore, a double-clad Raman fiber with large-mode area, ～40 μm core diameter, pumped by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is used to generate Stokes pulses with 1 mJ energy.     

激光二极管抽运主动调Q Nd:GdVO4自受激拉曼激光器

采用激光二极管（LD）抽运、主动调Q的方式，利用c向切割的Nd：GdVO4晶体的自受激拉曼散射（self-SRS）效应，实现了结构紧凑、高效的脉冲拉曼激光器。在输入功率为1．8W，主动调Q10kHz时，自受激拉曼激光器产生了稳定的1176nm的斯托克斯（Stokes）脉冲光，斯托克斯光的单脉冲能量为10μJ，脉冲宽度为19ns。此时，自受激拉曼散射的阈值仅为510mW，斯托克斯光的转换效率为5．6％。实验结果表明，有效的自受激拉曼变频可以通过一个c向切割的Nd：GdVO4晶体，采用主动调Q的方式来实现。     

Accuracy of single-cut adjustment technique for double resonant Brillouin fiber lasers

We present a detailed error analysis of the algorithm for adjustment of double resonance in short-length Brillouin ring fiber laser. Adjusted laser cavity is simultaneously resonant for the pump and Stokes radiations. We demonstrate that this algorithm provides an accuracy of 1–7 MHz for the resonance peak location under conditions of regular uncertainties in measurement and cutting. Demonstrated approach is equally useful for the design of singlemode fiber lasers with ultra-narrow optical spectra, Q-switched Brillouin fiber lasers as well as for applications employing high power fiber cavities free from stimulated Brillouin scattering.     

Modulation instability initiated high power all-fiber supercontinuum lasers and their applications

High average power, all-fiber integrated, broadband supercontinuum (SC) sources are demonstrated. Architecture for SC generation using amplified picosecond/nanosecond laser diode (LD) pulses followed by modulation instability (MI) induced pulse breakup is presented and used to demonstrate SC sources from the mid-IR to the visible wavelengths. In addition to the simplicity in implementation, this architecture allows scaling up of the SC average power by increasing the pulse repetition rate and the corresponding pump power, while keeping the peak power, and, hence, the spectral extent approximately constant. Using this process, we demonstrate >10 W in a mid-IR SC extending from ～0.8 to 4 μm, >5 W in a near IR SC extending from ～0.8 to 2.8 μm, and >0.7 W in a visible SC extending from ～0.45 to 1.2 μm. SC modulation capability is also demonstrated in a mid-IR SC laser with ～3.9 W in an SC extending from ～0.8 to 4.3 μm. The entire system and SC output in this case is modulated by a 500 Hz square wave at 50% duty cycle without any external chopping or modulation. We also explore the use of thulium doped fiber amplifier (TDFA) stages for mid-IR SC generation. In addition to the higher pump to signal conversion efficiency demonstrated in TDFAs compared to erbium/ytterbium doped fiber amplifier (EYFA), the shifting of the SC pump from ～1.5 to ～2 μm is pursued with an attempt to generate a longer extending SC into the mid-IR. We demonstrate ～2.5 times higher optical conversion efficiency from pump to SC generation in wavelengths beyond 3.8 μm in the TDFA versus the EYFA based SC systems. The TDFA SC spectrum extends from ～1.9 to 4.5 μm with ～2.6 W at 50% modulation with a 250 Hz square wave. A variety of applications in defense, health care and metrology are also demonstrated using the SC laser systems presented in this paper.     

Optimized butt coupling between single mode fiber and hollow-core photonic crystal fiber

In this paper, the optimum gap for maximum light coupling between Single Mode Fiber (SMF) & Hollow Core Photonic Crystal Fiber (HC-PCF) is theoretically computed and experimentally demonstrated. The Gaussian beam profile emanating from transmitting fiber undergoes Fresnel diffraction in the air up to some distance till its diffracted Mode Field Diameter (MFD) matches with the core diameter of receiving fiber. Theoretically computed such distance provides an optimum gap for maximum light coupling between these two fibers. The optimum gap is numerically computed as 7.618 μm and 12.598 μm for SMF to HC-PCF and HC-PCF to SMF light transmission configurations respectively and is verified experimentally. This optimized gap is useful for HC-PCF based devices to be joined to SMF as a transmission medium.     

Multiple-order stokes pulse generation by nitrogen-laser-pumped fiber Raman laser

A multimode silica-core fiber Raman laser was pumped by a compact Blumlein-type nitrogen laser. Four orders of Stokes pulses were obtained in the range of 341-359 nm at 280 MW/cm²fiber input. All the Stokes pulses were expanded by modal dispersion. The threshold of each Stokes pulse was measured and the energy transfer to the next order was observed. Conditions for efficient conversion to the required-order Stokes pulse are discussed.     

Experimental study of stimulated Brillouin and Raman scatterings in a Q-switched cladding-pumped fiber laser

Characteristics of stimulated Brillouin and Raman scatterings (SBS and SRS) in a Q-switched cladding-pumped ytterbium (Yb)-doped fiber laser are experimentally investigated. A stable SBS pulse train with a width of ∼2 ns and a peak power of ∼1.0 kW can be generated in regular Q-switching processes under certain conditions. The time jitter and intensity fluctuation of SBS pulses are presented, and their mechanism and statistics are discussed. The accompanied Raman–Stokes waves in regular Q-switched pulses and SBS pulses are quantitatively compared.     

Gain saturation of a CW-pumped erbium-doped fiber amplifier for nanosecond pulses

We report on the gain saturation property of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier for high peak 100 ns pulses. Under CW pumping conditions, the 980 nm pump power dependence of the gain saturation is precisely measured. Pump power dependence is discussed by assuming that the pulse width is much shorter than the recovery time of the erbium population inversion.     

Control and probe of population inversion using nanosecond pulse trains in an erbium-doped fiber amplifier

We report the control of population inversion in a continuously pumped fiber amplifier using pulse trains with a finite number of pulses. We first measured the pulse interval dependence of the amplifier gain, which indicated that the gain was in the quasi-continuous condition for an interval of less than 1 μs and in the single-shot condition for an interval of approximately 1 ms. For population control, the population change was probed using pulse trains that induced a population change through a modified pump–probe method. We observed that a change in the population inversion was not determined by the number of pulse but by the number of total input photons. Temporal profiles of the population inversion were analyzed using a model derived for single pulse amplification.     

Invited paper: Short pulse generation in mid-IR fiber lasers

Mode-locked fiber lasers emitting short pulses of light at wavelengths of 2 μm and longer are reviewed. Rare-earth doped silica and fluoride fiber lasers operating in the mode-locked regime in the mid-IR (2–5 μm) have attracted attention due to their usefulness to spectroscopy, nonlinear optics, laser surgery, remote sensing and ranging to name a few. While silica fiber lasers are fundamentally limited to emission wavelengths below 2.2 μm, fluoride fiber lasers can reach to nearly 4 μm. The relative infancy of fluoride fibers as compared to silica fibers means the field has work to do to translate the mode-locking techniques to systems beyond 2 μm. However, with the recent demonstration of a stable, mode-locked 3 μm fiber laser, the possibility of achieving high performance 3 μm class mode-locked fiber lasers looks promising.     

Gain characteristics of quantum dot fiber amplifier based on asymmetric tapered fiber coupler

We theoretically analyzed the gain characteristics of an integrated semiconductor quantum dot (QD) fiber amplifier (SQDFA) by using a 2 × 2 tapered fiber coupler with a PbS QD-coated layer. The asymmetric structure of the fiber coupler is designed to have a maximum working bandwidth around 1550-nm band and provide a desired optical power ratio of the output signals. By using 600 mW of 980-nm pump, 10 dB gain of a 1550-nm signal is estimated with the gain efficiency of 4.5 dB/cm.     

High-efficiency pulse compression with intracavity Raman amplifiers

High-efficiency pulse compression using intracavity Raman amplifiers has been computed. The energy of a pump laser stored in a lossless cavity is extracted at the Stokes frequency by means of Raman amplification of an input Stokes pulse. Calculations are made for both long and short duration input Stokes pulses for different lossless cavities. As an example, we use a hydrogen-argon mixture as the Raman medium and 1.5 J/cm²energy fluence stored in the lossless cavity at the ruby frequency. By comparing amplified Stokes pulses to a 30 ns pulse duration conventional ruby laser delivering the same energy fluence, pulse shortening factors larger than 20 are computed with quantum conversion efficiencies higher than 80 percent. These values compare favorably to backward Raman amplification. Moreover, this technique is proved to be able to provide a pulse compression rate larger than 14, even for a broad-band laser, which is impossible with backward Raman amplification. This technique could be used with any laser, even with absorbing laser media (excimer lasers) provided pump energy is stored in the lossless cavity by shifting of the laser frequency with any nonlinear process.     

高转换效率LD抽运Cr4+:YAG被动调Q内腔式SrWO4拉曼激光器实验研究

采用Cr⁴⁺:YAG作为饱和吸收体,实现了结构 紧凑的全固态半导体泵浦被动调Q内腔式钨酸锶(SrWO₄) 拉曼激光器,获得了稳定的、高效率的一阶斯托克斯拉曼光,并研究了激光器运转中拉曼光 的偏振特性。泵 浦抽运功率为5.8W时,获得的拉曼激光输出功率为968mW,调Q 脉冲重复率为49kHz,脉宽为7ns, 抽运光到一阶斯托克斯光的转换效率为16.7%,斜效率为18. 6%。这是目前报道的被动调 Q内腔式固 体拉曼激光器所获得的最高转换效率。     

激光二极管抽运的自拉曼Nd∶YVO_4激光器

研究了激光二极管(LD)抽运的自拉曼Nd∶YVO4调Q激光器的特性。Nd∶YVO4晶体同时作为激光介质和拉曼晶体,通过声光调Q技术,产生了1176 nm的拉曼激光。测量了平均输出功率、脉冲宽度和单脉冲能量随抽运功率和脉冲重复率的变化。典型的1064 nm基频光和1176 nm拉曼光脉冲的脉冲宽度分别为26.3 ns和9.0 ns。在脉冲重复率为20 kHz,抽运功率为8.46 W时,产生了平均功率为0.384 W的1176 nm光的输出,光-光转换效率为4.54%。使用速率方程对自拉曼Nd∶YVO4调Q激光器特性进行了理论研究,把脉冲重复率为10 kHz,20 kHz,30 kHz时拉曼光单脉冲能量和脉冲宽度的实验值与理论值进行了比较,结果基本相符。     

The effect of pulse walkoff on stimulated Raman scattering in fibers

We have experimentally investigated stimulated Raman scattering in single-mode fibers in the regime of large Raman Stokes pulse walkoff from the pump pulse by the effect of group-velocity dispersion. Measurements are made with 36 ps duration pulses at 532 nm produced from a frequency-doubled and harmonically mode-locked Nd:YAG laser. We find that for 20 percent conversion, the Raman output is produced about two walkoff lengths into the fiber as a pulse of approximately the same duration as the input pulse. We also find that the Raman pulse is produced with a strong frequency chirp.     

LD光纤耦合端面泵浦Nd:YVO4/Cr4+:YAG激光器

根据Siegman的被动调Q判据,Nd:YVO4晶体由于受激发射截面大、上能级寿命短,很难获得被动调Q输出。利用LD光纤耦合端面泵浦Nd:YVO4晶体,在泵浦功率3.5W时,连续运转获得最大输出1.4W,相应的光光转换效率为40%,同时采用Cr4+:YAG可饱和吸收体,成功地实现了Nd:YVO4被动调Q运转,获得了脉宽11.7ns,重复频率22kHz调Q输出。     

High-power continuous-wave operation of a fiber optical parametric oscillator in L and U bands

Fiber optical parametric oscillators (OPOs), based on a highly-efficient four-wave mixing process in a χ⁽³⁾ medium, are reviewed. Their capability to provide very large tuning ranges with high output power is discussed. A novel architecture for CW fiber OPOs is presented, which has allowed us to significantly extend the performance of these devices. To do so we used: (i) a highly-nonlinear fiber (HNLF) as the parametric gain medium; (ii) a narrowband tunable intracavity filter; (iii) a high output coupling fraction from the feedback loop (up to 3 dB). With these features, we have been able to obtain excellent performance in terms of output power and tuning range, even with a reduced pump power. With only about 2 W of pump power, we have obtained the following performances: (i) tuning range of 254 nm; (ii) output power in excess of 1 W at some wavelengths; (iii) external conversion efficiency in excess of 60% at some wavelengths; (iv) linewidth as low as 8 GHz.This architecture of fiber OPO can be used for providing narrow linewidth tunable high-power CW radiation over hundreds of nanometers. Such sources could find applications in remote sensing, optical communication, nonlinear optics, etc.     

A self-seeded tunable multiwavelength erbium-doped fiber ring laser with fiber bending scheme

A new tunable multiwavelength fiber laser is proposed. Such a laser contains a homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening media, i.e., a Fabry–Perót laser diode and an erbium-doped fiber amplifier, in the laser cavity. The Fabry–Perót laser diode is used to obtain tunable multiwavelength lasing. By adjusting the injection current of the Fabry–Perót laser diode, emission at a single wavelength, dual wavelengths, triple wavelengths or quadruple wavelengths are obtained. The lasing wavelength is tuned by bending a section of fiber in the laser cavity. The tuning ranges for single wavelength lasing and dual wavelength lasing are 20 nm and 10 nm, respectively, while those for triple wavelength lasing and quadruple wavelength lasing are 7 nm and 3 nm, respectively.     

Temporal-Talbot-effect-based preprocessing for pattern-effect reduction in all-optical clock recovery using a semiconductor-optical-amplifier-based fiber ring laser

We propose and experimentally demonstrate the temporal-Talbot-effect (TTE)-based preprocessing for the pattern-effect reduction in the all-optical clock recovery using a semiconductor-optical-amplifier (SOA)-based fiber ring laser (SOA-FRL). The TTE-based preprocessing successfully reduced the pattern effects of the recovered clock pulses, so that the 10-GHz clear optical clock pulses were recovered from a 10-Gbit/s return-to-zero on–off keying (RZ-OOK) pseudo-random bit sequence (PRBS) optical signal. “Peak variation” and “Pattern-dependent intensity noise (PDIN)” were proposed and were utilized as parameters to quantitatively evaluate the pattern effects, from which recovered clock pulses suffer, in the temporal domain and the frequency domain, respectively. Peak variation was reduced from 77.2% to 36.2%, and PDIN was improved from ?103 dBc/Hz to ?110 dBc/Hz with the aid of the TTE-based preprocessing. Furthermore, we examined the tolerance of the proposed technique by intentionally deviating the input signal’s bit-rate by ±190 Mbit/s (±2% of the bit-rate) from the optimum condition for the TTE. As compared with the PDIN value for the pulse train obtained by the direct injection of the non-processed signal into the SOA-FRL, the PDIN of the recovered clock pulses using the preprocessed signal indicated improvements over the entire measurement range of ±190 Mbit/s, which corresponds to the wavelength-dispersion deviation of ±56 ps/nm (±4% of the wavelength-dispersion applied to the input signal) from the optimum value.