Nested-ring doping for highly efficient 1907 nm short-wavelength cladding-pumped thulium fiber lasers

Opt Lett. 2020 Oct 1;45(19):5542-5545. doi: 10.1364/OL.401228.

Abstract

Cladding-pumped Tm-doped fiber lasers operating below 1950 nm have difficulty matching the high-efficiency, power-scalable output that can be achieved at longer wavelengths. This challenge arises due to the strong three-level behavior at short wavelengths and strong competition from higher-gain long wavelength emission. In this Letter, we demonstrate a nested-ring fiber design in which a highly doped Tm ring is embedded within a larger undoped core. The fiber is specifically tailored for highly efficient and high power short-wavelength operation (<1950nm). The nested-ring Tm fiber laser has generated 62 W of single-mode 1907 nm output with up to 65% (70%) slope efficiency with respect to launched (absorbed) pump power.