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Scaling Fiber Lasers to Large Mode Area: An Investigation of Passive Mode-Locking Using a Multi-Mode Fiber.
Edwin Ding1, Simon Lefrancois, Jose Nathan Kutz
1Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 USA.
IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics
|July 7, 2011
Summary
Mode-locking in large mode area fiber lasers is sensitive to multiple transverse modes. Controlling spatial mode content is crucial for achieving high pulse energies in dissipative soliton fiber lasers.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Fiber Laser Technology
Background:
- Dissipative soliton fiber lasers utilize large mode area fibers.
- These fibers can support multiple transverse modes, impacting laser dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the effect of multiple transverse modes on mode-locking in fiber lasers.
- Determine the influence of higher-order modes on pulse energy and stability.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical study using a distributed model and coupled Ginzburg-Landau equations.
- Experimental investigation with various large core fiber types (step-index, photonic crystal, chirally-coupled).
Main Results:
- Stable mode-locked pulses can be generated, but are destabilized by excessive higher-order mode content.
- Higher-order modes significantly disturb mode-locking, reducing maximum single-pulse energies.
- Mode-locking performance is highly sensitive to multiple waveguide modes.
Conclusions:
- Careful control of spatial mode content is essential for energy scaling in these lasers.
- Fiber laser mode-locking is more sensitive to multiple modes than amplifiers or continuous-wave lasers.
