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Engineering transverse Bragg resonance waveguides for large modal volume lasers
Wei Liang1, Yong Xu, John M Choi
1Department of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA. liangwei@its.caltech.edu
Optics Letters
|November 1, 2003
Summary
Researchers developed a new laser amplifier using transverse Bragg reflection. This technology enables larger single-transverse-mode operation compared to traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Laser Physics
Background:
- Traditional laser amplifiers often rely on total internal reflection for transverse confinement.
- Achieving large-mode-area, single-transverse-mode operation is a significant challenge in laser design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze a novel laser amplifier design utilizing transverse Bragg reflection.
- To demonstrate the advantages of Bragg confinement for achieving large-mode-area, single-transverse-mode operation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a new class of laser amplifier.
- Investigating the properties of Bragg confinement and modal loss discrimination.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated single-transverse-mode operation in the new amplifier class.
- Achieved a transverse modal size an order of magnitude larger than in total internal reflection-based lasers.
Conclusions:
- Transverse Bragg reflection offers a superior method for transverse confinement in laser amplifiers.
- This approach facilitates the development of high-power, single-mode laser systems with significantly larger mode areas.
