Numerical rate equation modelling of a 1.6 μm pumped ∼2 μm Tm3+-doped tellurite fibre laser

Billy D.O. Richards, Craig A. Evans, Zoran Ikonić, Paul Harrison, Yuen H. Tsang, David J. Binks, Joris Lousteau, Animesh Jha

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Near- and mid-infrared fibre lasers find many applications in areas such as remote and chemical sensing, lidar and medicine, and tellurite fibres offer advantages over other common fibre glasses such a lower phonon energy and higher rare-earth ion solubility than silicate glasses, and greater chemical and environmental stability than fluoride glasses. Rate equation modelling is a very useful tool for the characterisation and performance prediction of new rare earth transitions in these novel fibre materials. We present the numerical rate equation modelling results for a ∼2 μm Tm3+-doped tellurite fibre laser when pumped with a 1.6 μm Er3+/Yb3+-doped double-clad silica fibre laser. A maximum slope efficiency of 76% with respect to launched pump power was achieved in the experimental fibre laser set up with a 32 cm long fibre. The high slope efficiency is very close to the Stokes efficiency limit of ∼82% which is due to the in-band pumping scheme employed and the lack of pump excited state absorption. The two-level rate equations involving absorption and emission between the Tm3+: 3H6 and 3F4 levels have been solved iteratively using a fourth-order Runge-Kutta algorithm and the results compared with the experimental results. For the 32 cm fibre with output coupler reflectivities of 12%, 50%, 70% and 90%, the respective theoretical slope efficiencies of 73%, 64%, 53% and 29% are in very good agreement with the experimentally measured values of 76%, 60%, 48% and 33%.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSolid State Lasers and Amplifiers III
EditorsJonathan A. Terry, Thomas Graf, Helena Jelínková
PublisherSPIE
Number of pages10
Volume6998
ISBN (Print)9780819471963
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Apr 2008
Externally publishedYes
EventSolid State Lasers and Amplifiers III - Strasbourg, France
Duration: 8 Apr 200810 Apr 2008
Conference number: 3

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6998
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSolid State Lasers and Amplifiers III
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityStrasbourg
Period8/04/0810/04/08

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