Lasing characteristics of Ho:YAG single crystal fiber

Lasing was demonstrated for the first time at 2.09 μm in 0.5% Holmium (Ho) doped YAG single crystal fiber (SCF) fabricated using the Laser Heated Pedestal Growth (LHPG) method. Output power of 23.5 W with 67.5% optical-to-optical slope efficiency is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest output power achieved at 2 µm from a SCF fabricated using LHPG. With continued improvement in the quality of the SCF and better thermal management, output power of few 100s W and higher, especially in the 2 µm spectral region, is realizable in the very near future.