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Metal clad active fibres for power scaling and thermal management at kW power levels

Metal clad active fibres for power scaling and thermal management at kW power levels
Metal clad active fibres for power scaling and thermal management at kW power levels
We present a new approach to high power fibre laser design, consisting of a polymer-free all-glass optical fibre waveguide directly overclad with a high thermal conductivity metal coating. This metal clad active fibre allows a significant reduction in thermal resistance between the active fibre and the laser heat-sink as well as a significant increase in the operating temperature range. In this paper we show the results of a detailed thermal analysis of both polymer and metal coated active fibres under thermal loads typical of kW fibre laser systems. Through several different experiments we present the first demonstration of a cladding pumped aluminium-coated fibre laser and the first demonstration of efficient operation of a cladding-pumped fibre laser at temperatures of greater than 400 °C. Finally, we highlight the versatility of this approach through operation of a passively (radiatively) cooled ytterbium fibre laser head at an output power of 405 W in a compact and ultralight package weighing less than 100 g.
1094-4087
18592-18606
Daniel, Jae M.O.
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Simakov, Nikita
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Hemming, Alexander
2f1ab4dc-cda5-4e5e-be44-c8365a0f2345
Clarkson, W. Andrew
3b060f63-a303-4fa5-ad50-95f166df1ba2
Haub, John
38366a29-41e6-4aae-893d-a56386bdfea3
Daniel, Jae M.O.
6196e732-cd6c-43a7-bc9f-bc4f99e72c23
Simakov, Nikita
984eef10-d13b-4cc6-852f-bcc58b432832
Hemming, Alexander
2f1ab4dc-cda5-4e5e-be44-c8365a0f2345
Clarkson, W. Andrew
3b060f63-a303-4fa5-ad50-95f166df1ba2
Haub, John
38366a29-41e6-4aae-893d-a56386bdfea3

Daniel, Jae M.O., Simakov, Nikita, Hemming, Alexander, Clarkson, W. Andrew and Haub, John (2016) Metal clad active fibres for power scaling and thermal management at kW power levels. Optics Express, 24 (16), 18592-18606. (doi:10.1364/OE.24.018592).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We present a new approach to high power fibre laser design, consisting of a polymer-free all-glass optical fibre waveguide directly overclad with a high thermal conductivity metal coating. This metal clad active fibre allows a significant reduction in thermal resistance between the active fibre and the laser heat-sink as well as a significant increase in the operating temperature range. In this paper we show the results of a detailed thermal analysis of both polymer and metal coated active fibres under thermal loads typical of kW fibre laser systems. Through several different experiments we present the first demonstration of a cladding pumped aluminium-coated fibre laser and the first demonstration of efficient operation of a cladding-pumped fibre laser at temperatures of greater than 400 °C. Finally, we highlight the versatility of this approach through operation of a passively (radiatively) cooled ytterbium fibre laser head at an output power of 405 W in a compact and ultralight package weighing less than 100 g.

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Accepted/In Press date: 1 August 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 4 August 2016
Published date: 8 August 2016

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 415556
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/415556
ISSN: 1094-4087
PURE UUID: be25e0da-9608-4d5d-bf88-6f9fcf1bba85

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Date deposited: 15 Nov 2017 17:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 16:53

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Contributors

Author: Jae M.O. Daniel
Author: Nikita Simakov
Author: Alexander Hemming
Author: W. Andrew Clarkson
Author: John Haub

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