The Open Optics Journal

2012, 6 : 1-8
Published online 2012 February 10. DOI: 10.2174/1874328501206010001
Publisher ID: TOOPTSJ-6-1

Dual Stage Ytterbium Doped Fiber Laser in MOPA Configuration

M. Fernandez-Vallejo , D. Monelli , D. Passaro , A. Cucinotta , S. Selleri and M. Lopez-Amo
Public University of Navarra, Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, Campus de Arrosadía, Pamplona, Spain.

ABSTRACT

We report the experimental demonstration of an Ytterbium doped fiber laser (YDFL) composed by two stages in cascade. Two sorts of Ytterbium doped fiber (YDF) with different concentration have been used. A proper characterization of the YDFs has been performed in order to find the optimum YDF length. To this end, the output power and the slope-efficiency have been calculated and the signal amplification and the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectra have been analyzed, which are strictly related to the absorption and emission cross-section of the YDF. The first stage has been studied for both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed regime. The results show that by using an YDF with a high slope-efficiency, up to 66%, it is possible to reach an emitted peak power of 30 W in a pulsed regime.