Mid-IR ZBLAN fiber laser approaches 10 W output

March 1, 2007
Although erbium (Er)-doped zirconium barium lanthanide sodium fluoride (ZBLAN) lasers have achieved power levels around 2 W, these levels are not sufficient to enable their use as mid-infrared (IR) Raman lasers, laser scalpels with high ablation efficiency and micrometer resolution, or terahertz local oscillators.

Although erbium (Er)-doped zirconium barium lanthanide sodium fluoride (ZBLAN) lasers have achieved power levels around 2 W, these levels are not sufficient to enable their use as mid-infrared (IR) Raman lasers, laser scalpels with high ablation efficiency and micrometer resolution, or terahertz local oscillators. However, researchers at the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM) have developed a mid-IR ZBLAN fiber laser with over 9 W continuous-wave output power that could move these applications from research to reality.

To achieve this power increase, the natural population-inversion bottleneck caused by the longer lifetime of the lower laser level relative to the upper laser level for the Er atoms was overcome by using a heavily Er-doped ZBLAN double-clad fiber. A technique called energy-transfer upconversion was used, in which an energy-transfer process between Er ions solves the population bottleneck and increases the output power. Slope efficiencies of 21% were obtained at power levels of greater than 9 W; however, the damage threshold of the fiber would need to be increased to achieve even higher output power levels. Contact Xiushan Zhu at [email protected].

Sponsored Recommendations

Demonstrating Flexible, Powerful 5-axis Laser Micromachining

Sept. 18, 2024
Five-axis scan heads offer fast and flexible solutions for generating precise holes, contoured slots and other geometries with fully defined cross sections. With a suitable system...

Enhance Your Experiments with Chroma's Spectra Viewer

Sept. 5, 2024
Visualize and compare fluorescence spectra with our interactive Spectra Viewer tool. Easily compare and optimize filters and fluorochromes for your experiments with this intuitive...

Optical Filter Orientation Guide

Sept. 5, 2024
Ensure optimal performance of your optical filters with our Orientation Guide. Learn the correct placement and handling techniques to maximize light transmission and filter efficiency...

Ensure Optimal Performance with Shortpass Filters

Sept. 5, 2024
Achieve precise wavelength blocking with our Shortpass Filters. Ideal for applications requiring effective light transmission and cutoff, these filters ensure optimal performance...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!