10-W-level diode-pumped compact 278 μm ZBLAN fiber laser

TLDR

The laser’s output fluctuated like a pulsed source and failed with pump‑end‑facet damage above 42.8 W, indicating that reducing fluctuation, improving heat management, and reinforcing the pumping fiber are essential for stable 10‑W‑level operation. The 4‑m erbium‑doped ZBLAN fiber laser achieved >9 W continuous‑wave output near 3 μm with a 100 W, 975 nm diode‑pump array, a 1 W threshold, 21.3 % slope efficiency, and a wavelength shift from ~2708 nm to ~2785 nm as pump power increased, but output plateaued at 9 W when the pump reached 42.8 W.

Abstract

We report on >9W transverse-fundamental-mode CW output near 3 μm from a 4m heavily erbium-doped ZBLAN double-clad fiber laser pumped by a collimated 100 W 975 nm laser diode array. The pump threshold of the fiber laser was about 1W, and the slope efficiency was 21.3%. The peak wavelength of free running was about 2708 nm at low pump power and moved to around 2785 nm at high pump power. Output of 9W was obtained when the launched pump power was 42.8W. The output, however, fluctuated intensively like a pulsed laser, and the operation broke down with optical damage of the pumping end facet when the pump was increased beyond 42.8 W. Therefore, alleviation of the operation fluctuation, heat management, and strengthening the pumping fiber are crucial considerations for the stable operation of 10-W-level mid-IR ZBLAN fiber lasers.