All-fiber laser with simultaneous Tm3+ passive Q-switched and Ho3+ gain-switched operation

Opt Lett. 2018 Jul 15;43(14):3377-3380. doi: 10.1364/OL.43.003377.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate simultaneous Tm3+ passive Q-switched (PQS) and Ho3+ gain-switched laser operations at 1888.8 and 2021.2 nm, respectively, in a single-cavity all-fiber laser. The PQS operation of the Tm3+ laser is based on the use of a high-concentration holmium-doped fiber as a fiber saturable absorber. Then the Tm3+ laser emission is used as a pulsed pump source to achieve Ho3+ gain-switched pulses. A high birefringence fiber optical loop mirror used as a spectral filter allows the tuning of both Tm3+ and Ho3+ laser emissions.