Power scaling of novel fibre sources

Abstract

This thesis explores novel fibre-based coherent light source architectures and strategies for scaling output power. The research focuses on fibre-based amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) sources with broadband output in the ~1 µm spectral region and on internally-frequency-doubled fibre lasers emitting in the visible (green) wavelength range. In Part I: Spectrum-controllable fibre-based amplified spontaneous emission sources modelling, development and characterisation of a versatile ASE source based on Yb-doped fibre gain stages, using power-efficient means for spectrum control is presented.

Experiments have culminated in a versatile seed source with polarized output and a reasonable degree of spectral control. In its final configuration, the ASE source was capable of producing either a broad spectrum in the 1-1.1 μm band with a full-width at half-maximum of 15-40 nm and output power > 1 W. Alternatively, single/multiple narrow lines with a full-width at half-maximum ranging from several nanometres to < 0.05 nm and output power spectral densities of up to 100 mW/nm could be generated. The output power was temporally stable with fluctuations at the level < 0.3-0.8% of the total output power. Very high spectral stability was obtained, which was limited mostly by the mechanical stability of the external cavity. The output beam was nearly diffraction limited with M2 ~ 1.1. Part II: Efficient intracavity frequency doubling schemes for continuous-wave fibre lasers introduces a novel concept for resonant enhancement of the intracavity power in high power continuous-wave fibre lasers that is suitable for a wide range of applications. Using this concept, efficient frequency doubling in continuous-wave Yb-doped fibre lasers has been demonstrated and techniques for using it in devices based on both robustly single-mode and multi-mode fibres have been developed. Finally, this thesis presents wavelength tuning of continuous-wave Yb-doped fibre lasers over ~19 nm in the green spectral region and scaling the generated second harmonic power up to ~19 W with more than 21% pump to second harmonic conversion efficiency.

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