Recently, the research team from Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences has made new progress in the material constraint-based laser performance estimation of Yb³⁺-doped phosphate fiber.

In order to improve the laser performance of Yb³⁺-doped phosphate fibers, laser performance estimation models were established to respectively estimate the laser wavelength just above the threshold, the laser threshold, and the laser slope efficiency, based on the basic properties of fibers and experimental data. The model provided a theoretical basis for special laser bands, laser material preparation, and fiber structure design. Related research results have been published in Journal of the American Ceramic Society on Jan. 25, 2021.

The most essential limiting factors of laser performance remain the material and fiber structure. Presently, experiments on the effect of double-clad fiber size on laser performance are scarce.

In order to control variables, researchers used the same optical fiber preform to make the fibers with different sizes, and the laser test was carried out in the same laser experimental set-up. Laser performance estimation models of this series fibers were established, based on the basic properties of fibers and experimental data (e.g. the laser wavelength just above the threshold, the laser threshold, and the laser slope efficiency). The results indicated that short fibers with a small core diameter may more easily produce a shorter laser wavelength, and the laser performance of fiber can be largely improved when the short-wave laser was inhibited.

Through optimizing the basic properties of fibers and experimental optical path, the laser slope efficiency of an optimized fiber can be increased by 35%. This model can be extended to study multi-composition fibers.

Related research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Fig. Comparison of the measure properties with laser performance estimated by the model for the Yb³⁺-doped phosphate glass fibers. (Image by SIOM)

Article website:
https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17694

Contact:
WU Xiufeng
General Administrative Office
Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, CAS
Email: xfwu@siom.ac.cn
Web: http://english.siom.cas.cn/