Advanced Configuration of Erbium Fiber Passively>tex<$Q$>/tex<-Switched Laser With Co>tex<$^2+$>/tex<:ZnSe Crystal as Saturable Absorber

Abstract

An advanced design of a diode-pumped passively Q-switched erbium fiber laser with a Co/sup 2+/:ZnSe crystal as a saturable absorber is reported. The laser giant-pulse operation is obtained with threshold of 8.3 mW, repetition rate of pulses of 235 kHz, and pulse energy, peak power, and duration of 15 nJ, 43 mW, and 350 ns, respectively. The self-mode-locking effect in the passively Q-switched fiber laser has been observed experimentally for the first time.