All-fiber holmium distributed feedback laser at 2.07  μm

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Laser Technology
• Materials Science
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Fiber lasers offer compact and efficient light sources.
• Holmium-doped materials are suitable for generating specific infrared wavelengths.
• Distributed feedback fiber lasers provide narrow linewidths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and investigate a holmium-doped fiber laser.
• To explore the performance of a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) in a holmium-doped fiber.
• To compare lasing characteristics at room and cryogenic temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a holmium-doped fiber laser using IR femtosecond laser pulses.
• Inscribing a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (FBG) within the doped fiber.
• Characterization of laser output power, linewidth, and operating modes.
• Comparison of laser performance at 300 K and 77 K.

Main Results:

• Achieved single-polarization and single-transverse mode operation.
• Observed a narrow linewidth of approximately 10 kHz.
• Generated an output power of up to 53 mW at 2.07 μm.
• Demonstrated stable lasing at both room and cryogenic temperatures.

Conclusions:

• This work presents the first realization of a holmium-based distributed fiber laser using a π-phase-shifted FBG.
• The developed fiber laser exhibits excellent performance characteristics for potential applications.
• The study highlights the viability of holmium-doped fibers for creating specialized laser sources.