Power scaling analysis of fiber lasers and amplifiers based on non-silica materials

Conference · Tue Mar 30 04:00:00 EDT 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1117/12.852393· OSTI ID:1010838

Dawson, J W; Messerly, M J; Heebner, J E; Pax, P H; Sridharan, A K; Bullington, A L; Beach, R J; Siders, C W; Barty, C P; Dubinskii, M

A developed formalism for analyzing the power scaling of diffraction limited fiber lasers and amplifiers is applied to a wider range of materials. Limits considered include thermal rupture, thermal lensing, melting of the core, stimulated Raman scattering, stimulated Brillouin scattering, optical damage, bend induced limits on core diameter and limits to coupling of pump diode light into the fiber. For conventional fiber lasers based upon silica, the single aperture, diffraction limited power limit was found to be 36.6kW. This is a hard upper limit that results from an interaction of the stimulated Raman scattering with thermal lensing. This result is dependent only upon physical constants of the material and is independent of the core diameter or fiber length. Other materials will have different results both in terms of ultimate power out and which of the many limits is the determining factor in the results. Materials considered include silica doped with Tm and Er, YAG and YAG based ceramics and Yb doped phosphate glass. Pros and cons of the various materials and their current state of development will be assessed. In particular the impact of excess background loss on laser efficiency is discussed.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 1010838
• Report Number(s): LLNL-CONF-427009
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
AMPLIFIERS
BRILLOUIN EFFECT
CERAMICS
DIFFRACTION
EFFICIENCY
FIBERS
LASERS
MELTING
PHOSPHATE GLASS
SCATTERING
SECURITY
SILICA