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Zhang L, Fu S, Sheng Q, Luo X, Zhang J, Shi W, Yao J. Pump quantum efficiency optimization of 3.5 μm Er-doped ZBLAN fiber laser for high-power operation. Front Optoelectron 2023; 16:33. [PMID: 37943361 PMCID: PMC10635972 DOI: 10.1007/s12200-023-00089-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
976 nm + 1976 nm dual-wavelength pumped Er-doped ZBLAN fiber lasers are generally accepted as the preferred solution for achieving 3.5 μm lasing. However, the 2 μm band excited state absorption from the upper lasing level (4F9/2 → 4F7/2) depletes the Er ions population inversion, reducing the pump quantum efficiency and limiting the power scaling. In this work, we demonstrate that the pump quantum efficiency can be effectively improved by using a long-wavelength pump with lower excited state absorption rate. A 3.5 μm Er-doped ZBLAN fiber laser was built and its performances at different pump wavelengths were experimentally investigated in detail. A maximum output power at 3.46 μm of ~ 7.2 W with slope efficiency (with respect to absorbed 1990 nm pump power) of 41.2% was obtained with an optimized pump wavelength of 1990 nm, and the pump quantum efficiency was increased to 0.957 compared with the 0.819 for the conventional 1976 nm pumping scheme. Further power scaling was only limited by the available 1990 nm pump power. A numerical simulation was implemented to evaluate the cross section of excited state absorption via a theoretical fitting of experimental results. The potential of further power scaling was also discussed, based on the developed model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Shijie Fu
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Quan Sheng
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Xuewen Luo
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Junxiang Zhang
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Wei Shi
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China.
| | - Jianquan Yao
- Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics, School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
- Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
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Shi J, Wei L, Li Y, Feng X. Monolithic 2-µm single-frequency linearly-polarized gain-switched distributed feedback fiber laser by femtosecond laser direct-writing. Opt Express 2023; 31:39292-39306. [PMID: 38018011 DOI: 10.1364/oe.505036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
We report a single-frequency, linearly polarized gain-switched, distributed feedback (DFB), 2-µm thulium doped silica fiber laser (TDFL), with an effective cavity length of 2.5 mm. The cavity is based on a heavily thulium doped non-polarization-maintaining silica fiber and composed of a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with a total FBG length of 35 mm. The DFB FBG was written by femtosecond-laser point-by-point (PbP) method. In-band pumping scheme is chosen with a 1550 nm nanosecond pulsed erbium-doped silica fiber laser pump. Single-longitudinal, linearly polarized, gain-switched TDFL at 2002 nm, with a recorded shortest pulse duration of 4.7 ns, a repetition rate of 20 kHz, a maximum peak power of 170 W, and single pulse energy of 0.8 µJ, has been obtained, benefitting from the ultrashort DFB cavity made by the femtosecond laser direct-writing method.
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Luo H, Wang Y, Chen J, Wang B, Li J, Liu Y. Red-diode-clad-pumped Er 3+/Dy 3+ codoped ZrF 4 fiber: A promising mid-infrared laser platform. Opt Lett 2022; 47:5313-5316. [PMID: 36240350 DOI: 10.1364/ol.470436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We report, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser generation, from a red-diode-clad-pumped Er3+/Dy3+ codoped ZrF4 fiber laser. A free-running laser at ∼3.4 µm, mainly from the 4F9/2→4I9/2 transition of Er3+, directly excited by a 659-nm laser diodehas been achieved at room temperature with a maximum power of 0.8 W and 8.8% slope efficiency. In this system, the long-lived 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 states are rapidly depopulated by energy transfer to the codoped Dy3+ ions and energy transfer upconversion between the Er3+ ions, resulting in the accelerated recycling of ions. Additionally, the free-running dual-wavelength operation state at ∼3.3 and ∼3.5 µm is also observed, producing a total maximum power of 0.95 W with 10.7% slope efficiency, representing the first watt-class output from a diode-pumped rare-earth-doped fiber laser far beyond 3 µm. By employing a diffraction grating, continuous spectral tuning across the 642-nm range from 3053.9 to 3695.9 nm has been demonstrated. The proposed scheme provides, to the best of our knowledge, a promising new platform for laser generation in the mid-IR region of 3-4 µm.
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Qin Z, Zhou Y, Xie G, Yuan P, Ma J, Qian L. Red-diode-clad-pumped CW and mode-locked Er:ZBLAN fiber laser at 3.5 µm. Opt Express 2022; 30:11174-11180. [PMID: 35473066 DOI: 10.1364/oe.454521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We report on a red-diode-clad-pumped continuous-wave (CW) and mode-locked Er:ZBLAN fiber laser at 3.5 µm for the first time. Numerical simulation shows that a heavily-doped Er:ZBLAN fiber is favorable for effective generation of 3.5 µm laser through 658 nm laser diode pumping. Using a 7.0 mol.% Er:ZBLAN fiber, CW output power of 203 mW was experimentally obtained at 3462 nm. By incorporating a home-made semiconductor saturable absorber mirror into the cavity, diode-pumped CW mode-locked 3.5 µm Er:ZBLAN fiber laser was first demonstrated with an average power of 19 mW, a pulse duration of 18.1 ps, and a repetition rate of 46 MHz. The research results show that red-diode-clad-pumping provides a simple and potential scheme for 3.5 µm CW and mode-locked Er:ZBLAN fiber laser.
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Jobin F, Paradis P, Aydin YO, Boilard T, Fortin V, Gauthier JC, Lemieux-Tanguay M, Magnan-Saucier S, Michaud LC, Mondor S, Pleau LP, Talbot L, Bernier M, Vallée R. Recent developments in lanthanide-doped mid-infrared fluoride fiber lasers [Invited]. Opt Express 2022; 30:8615-8640. [PMID: 35299310 DOI: 10.1364/oe.450929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mid-infrared fiber sources, emitting between 2.5 µm and 5.0 µm, are interesting for their great potential in several application fields such as material processing, biomedicine, remote sensing and infrared countermeasures due to their high-power, their diffraction-limited beam quality as well as their robust monolithic architecture. In this review, we will focus on the recent progress in continuous wave and pulsed mid-infrared fiber lasers and the components that bring these laser sources closer to a field deployment as well as in industrial systems. Accordingly, we will briefly illustrate the potential of such mid-infrared fiber lasers through a few selected applications.
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He H, Jia Z, Wang T, Ohishi Y, Qin W, Qin G. Intense emission at ∼3.3 µm from Er 3+-doped fluoroindate glass fiber. Opt Lett 2021; 46:1057-1060. [PMID: 33649656 DOI: 10.1364/ol.417731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fluoroindate glass fibers with an Er3+ doping concentration of ∼0.5mol% were fabricated by using a rod-in-tube method. Pumped by a 976 nm laser diode, intense emission at ∼3.3µm was obtained from a 40 cm long Er3+-doped fiber, which could be attributed to the transition 4S3/2→4F9/2 of Er3+ ions. The calculated emission cross section at ∼3.3µm was ∼3×10-26m2, which was ∼1.5 times larger than that of transitions Er3+:4F9/2→4I9/2 and Dy3+:6H13/2→6H15/2. In addition, broad emissions ranging from 3.1 µm to 3.85 µm were obtained in the Er3+-doped fiber under a 976 nm/1973 nm dual-wavelength pumping scheme. Our results indicated that Er3+-doped fluoroindate glass fibers had the potential for constructing efficient ∼3.3µm fiber lasers.
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Abstract
Based on a hybrid pumping method consisting of a 1150 nm continuous-wave pump source and a 1950 nm pulsed pump source, we demonstrate a power controllable gain-switched fiber laser in dual wavebands at ~ 3 μm and ~ 2.1 μm. Different pumping schemes for pumping a Ho3+-doped ZBLAN fiber are studied. Using only the 1950 nm pulsed pump source, ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulses with single and double pulses are obtained separately at different pump powers. This phenomenon indicates that the 1950 nm pulsed pump source acts as a modulator to trigger different states of the ~ 2.1 μm pulses. Moreover, by fixing the 1150 nm pump power at 3.259 W and adjusting the 1950 nm pump power, the output power of the ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulsed laser is flexibly controlled while the ~ 3 μm laser power is almost unchanged, inducing the maximum output powers of 167.96 mW and 260.27 mW at 2910.16 nm and 2061.65 nm, respectively. These results suggest that the comparatively low power of the ~ 2.1 μm gain-switched pulsed laser in dual-waveband laser can be efficiently overcome by reasonably controlling the 1950 nm pump power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Shi
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 China
| | - Jianfeng Li
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 China
| | - Chendong Lai
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 China
| | - Hanlin Peng
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 China
| | - Chen Zhu
- grid.464269.b0000 0004 0369 6090Science and Technology on Solid-State Laser Laboratory, 11th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Beijing, 100015 China
| | - Yong Liu
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060State Key Laboratory of Electronic Thin Films and Integrated Devices, School of Optoelectronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), Chengdu, 610054 China
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Jackson SD, Jain RK. Fiber-based sources of coherent MIR radiation: key advances and future prospects (invited). Opt Express 2020; 28:30964-31019. [PMID: 33115085 DOI: 10.1364/oe.400003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The mid-infrared (MIR) represents a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is progressively being exploited for an enormous number of applications. Thermal imaging cameras, dental and skin resurfacing lasers, and narcotics detectors at airports are all mainstream examples involving the MIR, but potential applications of MIR technologies are much larger. Accessing the unique opportunities afforded by the MIR is critically dependent on the specific characteristics of MIR emitting sources that become available. In this review, we survey an important enabling technology to the opening up of MIR science and applications, namely that driven by fiber-based sources of coherent MIR radiation. In this review paper, we describe many of the key advances in the innovation and development of such sources over the past few decades and discuss many of the underlying science and technology issues that have resulted in specific recent source achievements, especially in light of new applications enabled by these new source capabilities. We also discuss a few specific anticipated future needs and some potentially disruptive approaches to future MIR fiber source development.
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Zhang Y, Li X, Qyyum A, Feng T, Guo P, Jiang J. Lead sulfide nanoparticles for dual-wavelength ultrashort pulse generation. Nanotechnology 2019; 31:085202. [PMID: 31675743 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6528/ab53b4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle materials have many potential applications in the area of electronics and optoelectronics due to their unique and versatile properties. In particular, lead sulfide nanoparticles (PbS NPs) have shown excellent ultrafast photonics and can be applied to communication systems because of their low bandgap, high thermal damage threshold and stability. The wavelength division multiplexor (WDM) technique is vital to fiber optical communication, which allows the transmission of many different-wavelength signals in one fiber cable. However, PbS NPs for multi-wavelength pulse generation has not been reported until now. In this work, PbS NPs have been investigated and successfully applied in an Er-doped fiber laser as a saturable absorber (SA) to generate a dual-wavelength short pulse for the first time. A picosecond-level ultrashort pulse at center wavelengths of 1545 and 1585 nm can be achieved simultaneously or respectively. It is worth mentioning that the two wavelengths are separated up to 40 nm, which can significantly expand the optical communication capacity. The result suggests that PbS NPs as smart nonlinear optical components have wide applications in optical communications, short-pulse lasers, and even high-performance photodectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- School of Physics & Information Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xian, People's Republic of China
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Luo H, Xu Y, Li J, Liu Y. Gain-switched dysprosium fiber laser tunable from 2.8 to 3.1 μm. Opt Express 2019; 27:27151-27158. [PMID: 31674581 DOI: 10.1364/oe.27.027151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate a tunable gain-switched Dy3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser around 3 μm, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The pump source is a homemade actively Q-switched Yb3+-doped silica fiber laser at 1.1 μm, yielding a repetition rate of 80 kHz and a pulse width of 300 ns. A plane-ruled grating in a Littrow configuration functions as the tuning element. At the launched pump power of 2.78 W, stable gain-switched pulses tunable within a ~300 nm range of 2800~3095 nm are achieved. When tuning the wavelength to 2946.5 nm, a maximum output power of 218.6 mW with a repetition rate of 80 kHz is obtained. The corresponding pulse width and energy are 530 ns and 2.73 μJ, respectively. The results imply that gain-switching of Dy3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser is an alternative way for mid-infrared nanosecond pulse generation around 3 μm.
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