976 nm single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector fiber laser

Single-frequency fiber lasers based on metal thiophosphites with sub-kHz linewidths

Metal thiophosphites (CrPX4) (X = S and Se), emerging layered metal chalcogenophosphate materials, have found extensive utility in the fields of advanced electronic devices, magnetic technologies, and electrochemical systems. However, their applications in single-frequency fiber lasers have been relatively limited. Here, liquid phase exfoliation technology is used to exfoliate the CrPX4 into few-layered samples. Subsequently, we explored the application of CrPX4-based saturable absorbers (CrPX4-SA) by precisely depositing CrPX4 nanosheets onto the surface of D-shaped fibers. This led to the successful creation of two stable single-frequency fiber lasers (SFFLs) based on CrPS4 and CrPSe4 with center wavelengths of 1550.068 nm and 1550.092 nm, respectively. The linewidth of CrPSe4 was tested and determined to be roughly 375 Hz, which is the narrowest ever value attained for an SFFL based on its structure, and its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 74.17 dB. The maximum output power of each oscillator was 0.796 mW and 0.963 mW, and their corresponding power fluctuations were 2.5% and 1.4%, respectively.

Ultralow-quantum-defect single-frequency fiber laser

A single-frequency distributed-Bragg-reflector fiber laser at 980 nm with a quantum defect of less than 0.6% was developed with a 1.5-cm 12 wt% ytterbium-doped phosphate fiber pumped by a 974.5-nm laser diode. Linearly polarized single-longitude-mode laser with a polarization extinction ratio (PER) of nearly 30 dB and spectral linewidth of less than 1.8 kHz was obtained. A maximum output power of 275 mW was measured at a launched pump power of 620 mW. The performance of the single-frequency fiber laser pumped at 909 nm and 976 nm was also characterized. This research demonstrated an approach to high-power single-frequency fiber laser oscillators with mitigated thermal effects.

Effective linewidth compression of a single-longitudinal-mode fiber laser with randomly distributed high scattering centers in the fiber induced by femtosecond laser pulses

Femtosecond lasers can be used to create many functional devices in silica optical fibers with high designability. In this work, a femtosecond laser-induced high scattering fiber (HSF) with randomly distributed high scattering centers is used to effectively compress the linewidth of a fiber laser for the first time. A dual-wavelength, single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) is constructed for the demonstration, which is capable of switching among two single-wavelength operations and one dual-wavelength operation. We find that the delayed self-heterodyne beating linewidth of the laser can be reduced from >1 kHz to <150 Hz when the length of the HSF in the laser cavity increases from 0 m to 20 m. We also find that the intrinsic Lorentzian linewidth of the laser can be compressed to several Hz using the HSF. The efficiency and effectiveness of linewidth reduction are also validated for the case that the laser operates in simultaneous dual-wavelength lasing mode. In addition to the linewidth compression, the EDFL shows outstanding overall performance after the HSF is incorporated. In particular, the optical spectrum and SLM lasing state are stable over long periods of time. The relative intensity noise is as low as <-150 dB/Hz@>3 MHz, which is very close to the shot noise limit. The optical signal-to-noise ratios of >85 dB for single-wavelength operation and >83 dB for dual-wavelength operation are unprecedented over numerous SLM fiber lasers reported previously. This novel method for laser linewidth reduction is applicable across gain-medium-type fiber lasers, which enables low-cost, high-performance, ultra-narrow linewidth fiber laser sources for many applications.

Single-frequency fiber laser at 880 nm

Single-frequency fiber lasers with extremely low noise and narrow spectral linewidth have found many scientific and practical applications. There is great interest in developing single-frequency fiber lasers at new wavelengths. In this paper, we report a single-frequency Nd³⁺-doped phosphate fiber laser operating at 880 nm, which is the shortest demonstrated wavelength for a single-frequency fiber laser thus far, to the best of our knowledge. An output power of 44.5 mW and a slope efficiency of 20.4% with respect to the absorbed pump power were obtained with a 2.5-cm-long 1 wt.% Nd³⁺-doped phosphate fiber. Our simulation results show that higher single-frequency laser output can be achieved with 1.5 wt.% or 2 wt.% Nd³⁺-doped phosphate fiber with mitigated ion clustering.

UV-LED Curable Acrylic Films Containing Phosphate Glass Powder: Effect of the Filler Loading on the Thermal, Optical, Mechanical and Flame Retardant Properties

In this work, we thoroughly investigate the effects of the incorporation of a phosphate glass micrometric powder on the morphology, as well as on the thermal, optical, mechanical and flame retardant properties of UV-LED curable acrylic films. To this aim, the filler loading was changed within 10 and 50 wt.%. UV-LED initiated curing was selected as a fast and reliable system, as the standard UV-curing process was not suitable because of the presence of the glass powder that decreased the quantum efficiency during the UV exposure, hence preventing the transformation of the liquid system into a solid network. The glass powder slightly increased the glass transition temperature of the acrylic network, hence showing a limited effect on the chain segments mobility; besides, increasing filler loadings were responsible for a progressive decrease of the transparency of films, irrespective of a marginal effect on their refractive index. Conversely, the presence of increasing amounts of phosphate glass improved the thermal and thermo-oxidative stability of the cured products. Besides, phosphate glass was capable of remarkably enhancing the flame retardance of the acrylic network at 50 wt.% loading, which achieved self-extinction in vertical flame spread tests (and was V-0 rated). This formulation, as assessed by forced-combustion tests, also displayed a remarkable decrease of peak of Heat Release Rate and Total Heat Release (by 44 and 33%, respectively) and of Total Smoke Release and Specific Extinction Area (by 53 and 56%, respectively). Further, the filler promoted an increase of the stiffness and surface hardness of the films, at the expense of a decrease in ductility. All these findings may justify the potential use of these composite films as flame retardant coatings for different flammable substrates.

Low-threshold 1150 nm single-polarization single-frequency Yb-doped DFB fiber laser

We demonstrate a stable single-polarization single-frequency distributed feedback Bragg (DFB) fiber laser at 1150 nm based on a 5 cm long Yb-doped fiber which, to the best of our knowledge, is the first demonstration of a Yb-doped fiber-based single-frequency laser with a wavelength longer than 1120 nm. The threshold is as low as 10 mW. The measured maximum output power is 10.6 mW, and the spectrum at the highest power shows an excellent optical signal-to-noise ratio of about 70 dB, considering the amplified spontaneous emission in a short wavelength. The polarization extinction ratio is 25 dB, and the spectral linewidth is 20 kHz. This fiber laser is suitable for seeding high-power 1150 nm narrow-linewidth laser amplifiers, which can be used as high brightness pump sources for rare-earth-doped fiber lasers and Raman fiber lasers, or to generate visible radiation in the yellow spectral range, facilitating medical and astronomic applications.

Single-frequency 1.7-μm Tm-doped fiber laser with optical bistability of both power and longitudinal mode behavior

The single-frequency operation of a thulium fiber laser at a short wavelength of 1720 nm is investigated in a ring resonator. Powerful single-longitudinal-mode operation was realized by utilizing an unpumped thulium-doped fiber as the saturable absorber. The fiber laser delivered 407 mW single-frequency output with a spectral linewidth of 4.4 kHz under 2.7-W launched pump power at 1570 nm, which turned to multi-longitudinal-mode operation at higher pump powers. Additionally, optical bistability of both output power and longitudinal mode behavior, originating from the saturable absorption effect, were observed and discussed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first efficient 1.7-μm single-frequency fiber laser as well as the first demonstration of optical bistability in thulium-doped fiber lasers.

Design and Manufacturing of a Nd-Doped Phosphate Glass-Based Jewel

This paper reports the results of the designing, manufacturing and characterization of a jewel obtained by means of coupling the dogmas of industrial design to the analytical engineering approach. The key role in the design of the jewel was played by an in-house synthesized Neodymium (Nd)-doped phosphate glass, selected due to its easy handling and capability to change color according to the incident light wavelength. The glass core was covered by a metal alloy to mitigate its relatively high fragility and sensitivity to thermal shock and, at the same time, to highlight and preserve its beauty. The selection of the proper metal alloy, having thermo-mechanical properties compatible with those exhibited by the glass, was carried out by means of Ashby's maps, a powerful tool commonly adopted in the field of industrial design.

915 nm all-fiber laser based on novel Nd-doped high alumina and yttria glass @ silica glass hybrid fiber for the pure blue fiber laser

The fiber laser in the range of 900-1000 nm is essential to generate the blue fiber laser through frequency doubling for the laser display, laser underwater communications, and laser lighting. Yet, the well-developed three-level Yb-doped fiber laser can only realize the blue-green fiber laser at around 490 nm, which is far from the pure blue area (450 nm). To further achieve the pure blue fiber laser, the Nd-doped fiber has emerged as a proper choice to realize a shorter wavelength laser (<920  nm) through the F_3/24→I_9/24 transition of Nd³⁺. Here, based on the facile "melt-in-tube" (MIT) method, a novel Nd-doped high alumina and yttria glass @ silica glass hybrid fiber was successfully prepared using the Nd:YAG crystal as the precursor core. The crystal core converts to the amorphous glass state after the drawing process, as evidenced by Raman spectra. The gain coefficient at 915 nm of the hybrid fiber reaches 0.4 dB/cm. Further, the laser oscillation at 915 nm with over 50 dB signal-to-noise ratio was realized by a short 3.5 cm gain fiber. Our results indicate that MIT is a feasible strategy to produce novel fiber for generating fiber laser at special wavelengths.

Power scalable 10 W 976 nm single-frequency linearly polarized laser source

A 10 W level 976 nm single-frequency linearly polarized laser source was demonstrated with a two-stage all-fiber amplifier configuration. The continuous-wave output power of 10.1 W was obtained from the second stage amplifier by using a 20/130 μm single-mode, polarization maintaining, 1.5 wt. % ytterbium-doped phosphate double-clad fiber. This all-fiber single-frequency laser source is very promising for watt-level deep ultraviolet laser generation via frequency quadrupling.

Development of a high-power blue laser (445 nm) for material processing

A blue diode laser has a higher absorption rate than a traditional laser, while the maximum power is limited. We report the structure and laser beam profile of a 250 W high-power blue laser (445 nm) for material processing. The absorption rate of the blue laser system for the steel was 2.75 times that of a single-mode fiber laser system (1070 nm). The characteristics of the steel after laser irradiation were determined, validating the potential of this high-power blue laser for material processing, such as heat treatment and cladding. The cost of the developed laser system was lower than that of the existing one. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first blue laser with a power as high as 250 W.

Self-injection locked and semiconductor amplified ultrashort cavity single-frequency Yb3+-doped phosphate fiber laser at 978 nm

Based on a self-injection locking scheme and the nonlinear amplification effect of a semiconductor optical amplifier, a low intensity noise amplified ultrashort cavity single-frequency fiber laser at 978 nm is demonstrated with a final output power of > 230 mW and a broad temperature range of > 15 °C for single-longitudinal-mode operation. The effective cavity length of the fiber oscillator is less than 6 mm, comprising a 3.5-mm-long highly Yb³⁺-doped phosphate fiber and a pair of fiber Bragg gratings. For the frequency range from 1.8 to 10 MHz, the relative intensity noise close to -150 dB/Hz is achieved. The signal-to-noise ratio of > 68 dB and the laser linewidth of < 10 kHz are obtained. Such narrow linewidth low noise 978 nm laser is promising, as the high-performance pump source or the efficient blue and UV light sources after nonlinear frequency conversion.

414 W near-diffraction-limited all-fiberized single-frequency polarization-maintained fiber amplifier

A high-power 1064 nm single-frequency polarization-maintained fiber amplifier based on an all-fiber master oscillator power amplifier configuration is demonstrated. To mitigate the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) and the mode instability (MI) effect, a polarization-maintained Yb-doped fiber with a high dopant concentration and a 25 μm core diameter is adopted in the main amplifier stage; in addition, step-distributed longitudinal strain is imposed on the active fiber to broaden its effective SBS gain spectrum and further increase the SBS threshold. As a result, a pump-limited 414 W single-frequency fiber laser is obtained without signs of SBS and MI. Experimental results show that the SBS threshold is increased by at least two times. The slope efficiency of the main amplifier is about 80%. The polarization degree is higher than 98% at all the power levels. The beam quality is measured with a M² of 1.34. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest output power of single-frequency polarization-maintained fiber amplifier based on an all-fiber structure.

1120 nm kHz-linewidth single-polarization single-frequency Yb-doped phosphate fiber laser

A spectrally clean kHz-linewidth single-polarization single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector Yb-doped phosphate fiber (YPF) laser at 1120 nm (> 1100 nm) for the first time is demonstrated. By enhancing the reflectivity of output fiber Bragg grating and optimizing the length of YPF to implement the effective ASE suppression and single-longitudinal-mode long-wavelength lasing, a stable output power of over 62 mW is achieved from a 31-mm-long highly YPF with a linewidth of 5.7 kHz. The signal to noise ratio of > 67 dB, the polarization extinction ratio of > 25 dB, and the relative intensity noise of < -150 dB/Hz for the frequencies above 10.0 MHz are obtained in such single-frequency fiber laser. This narrow linewidth fiber laser is an ideal laser source to generate the coherent single-frequency 560 nm light via frequency doubling for biochemical analysis application.

Single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector Nd doped silica fiber laser at 930 nm

We report a single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) fiber laser at 930 nm for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. A ∼2.5 cm long commercial highly neodymium-doped silica fiber was utilized as the gain medium to achieve ∼1.9 mW laser output. The single longitudinal mode operation of this laser was verified by a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. This fiber laser is suited for seeding high-power 930 nm narrow-linewidth laser amplifiers, which can be used to generate coherent single-frequency pure blue light through frequency doubling.

Single-frequency fiber laser at 1950 nm based on thulium-doped silica fiber

A single-frequency fiber laser operating at 1950 nm has been demonstrated in an all-fiber distributed Bragg reflection laser cavity by using a 1.9 cm commercially available thulium-doped silica fiber, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The laser was pumped by a 793 nm single-mode diode laser and had a threshold pump power of 75 mW. The maximum output power of the single longitudinal mode laser was 18 mW and the slope efficiency with respect to the launched pump power was 11%. Moreover, the linewidth and relative intensity noise at different pump power have been measured and analyzed.

Fiber lasers and their applications [Invited]

Fiber lasers have seen progressive developments in terms of spectral coverage and linewidth, output power, pulse energy, and ultrashort pulse width since the first demonstration of a glass fiber laser in 1964. Their applications have extended into a variety of fields accordingly. In this paper, the milestones of glass fiber laser development are briefly reviewed and recent advances of high-power continuous wave, Q-switched, mode-locked, and single-frequency fiber lasers in the 1, 1.5, 2, and 3 μm regions and their applications in such areas as industry, medicine, research, defense, and security are addressed in detail.

Watt-level short-length holmium-doped ZBLAN fiber lasers at 1.2 μm

In-band core-pumped Ho3+-doped ZBLAN fiber lasers at the 1.2 μm region were investigated with different gain fiber lengths. A 2.4 W 1190 nm all-fiber laser with a slope efficiency of 42% was achieved by using a 10 cm long gain fiber pumped at a maximum available 1150 nm pump power of 5.9 W. A 1178 nm all-fiber laser was demonstrated with an output power of 350 mW and a slope efficiency of 6.5%. High Ho3+ doping in ZBLAN is shown to be effective in producing single-frequency fiber lasers and short-length fiber amplifiers immune from stimulated Brillouin scattering.