Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators

Bidirectional output fiber laser oscillators can realize two high-power laser outputs employing only a single-laser resonant cavity and hold the advantages of being low cost and of compact size. However, like other fiber lasers, their power improvement is limited by transverse mode instability (TMI)...

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Main Authors: Fengchang Li, Xinyi Ding, Peng Wang, Baolai Yang, Xiaoming Xi, Hanwei Zhang, Xiaolin Wang, Jinbao Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Photonics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/912
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author Fengchang Li
Xinyi Ding
Peng Wang
Baolai Yang
Xiaoming Xi
Hanwei Zhang
Xiaolin Wang
Jinbao Chen
author_facet Fengchang Li
Xinyi Ding
Peng Wang
Baolai Yang
Xiaoming Xi
Hanwei Zhang
Xiaolin Wang
Jinbao Chen
author_sort Fengchang Li
collection DOAJ
description Bidirectional output fiber laser oscillators can realize two high-power laser outputs employing only a single-laser resonant cavity and hold the advantages of being low cost and of compact size. However, like other fiber lasers, their power improvement is limited by transverse mode instability (TMI). To achieve higher power output, in this paper, the characteristics and corresponding suppression method of the TMI in bidirectional output fiber laser oscillators were investigated for the first time. Firstly, the TMI threshold was obtained when the fiber laser oscillator was pumped by 976 nm LDs and 981 nm LDs, separately, and the difference between the two pumping conditions was researched in detail. After that, a comparison study between the bidirectional and unidirectional output fiber laser oscillators pumped by 981 nm LDs was carried out. In the experiment, the effect of pump distribution on the TMI threshold was also considered. The results show that the TMI threshold of the bidirectional-output laser pumped by 981 nm LDs is much higher than that pump by 976 nm LDs, which means that the effective TMI suppression methods in the unidirectional output laser are also applicable in the bidirectional output laser. In addition, it is found that the TMI threshold of a bidirectional output fiber laser is much lower than that of a unidirectional output fiber laser.
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spelling doaj.art-7ad9cfe8c724482ea5f94675105f247c2023-11-19T02:39:39ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322023-08-0110891210.3390/photonics10080912Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser OscillatorsFengchang Li0Xinyi Ding1Peng Wang2Baolai Yang3Xiaoming Xi4Hanwei Zhang5Xiaolin Wang6Jinbao Chen7College of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaCollege of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaBidirectional output fiber laser oscillators can realize two high-power laser outputs employing only a single-laser resonant cavity and hold the advantages of being low cost and of compact size. However, like other fiber lasers, their power improvement is limited by transverse mode instability (TMI). To achieve higher power output, in this paper, the characteristics and corresponding suppression method of the TMI in bidirectional output fiber laser oscillators were investigated for the first time. Firstly, the TMI threshold was obtained when the fiber laser oscillator was pumped by 976 nm LDs and 981 nm LDs, separately, and the difference between the two pumping conditions was researched in detail. After that, a comparison study between the bidirectional and unidirectional output fiber laser oscillators pumped by 981 nm LDs was carried out. In the experiment, the effect of pump distribution on the TMI threshold was also considered. The results show that the TMI threshold of the bidirectional-output laser pumped by 981 nm LDs is much higher than that pump by 976 nm LDs, which means that the effective TMI suppression methods in the unidirectional output laser are also applicable in the bidirectional output laser. In addition, it is found that the TMI threshold of a bidirectional output fiber laser is much lower than that of a unidirectional output fiber laser.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/912fiber laserytterbium-doped fiber laser oscillatortransverse mode instabilitybidirectional output laserpump wavelength
spellingShingle Fengchang Li
Xinyi Ding
Peng Wang
Baolai Yang
Xiaoming Xi
Hanwei Zhang
Xiaolin Wang
Jinbao Chen
Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
Photonics
fiber laser
ytterbium-doped fiber laser oscillator
transverse mode instability
bidirectional output laser
pump wavelength
title Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
title_full Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
title_fullStr Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
title_full_unstemmed Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
title_short Research of Transverse Mode Instability in High-Power Bidirectional Output Yb-Doped Fiber Laser Oscillators
title_sort research of transverse mode instability in high power bidirectional output yb doped fiber laser oscillators
topic fiber laser
ytterbium-doped fiber laser oscillator
transverse mode instability
bidirectional output laser
pump wavelength
url https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/10/8/912
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