Wavelength-tunable internally-frequency-doubled Yb-doped fiber laser

Abstract

High power continuous-wave (cw) laser sources emitting in the visible spectral region have a diverse range of applications in areas such as laser processing of materials, projection displays, medicine and sensing. Fiber lasers using cladding-pumped architectures can yield very high power in the near-infrared wavelength regime [1], and hence offer the prospect of high power levels in the visible regime via nonlinear frequency conversion. High conversion efficiencies can be achieved using the technique of external resonant cavity second harmonic generation, but this approach is complicated by the need for a single frequency fiber source and by the need for active cavity length stabilisation [2]. In this paper we present a wavelength-tunable visible source based on a cladding-pumped fiber laser with a simple internal resonant enhancement cavity for efficient frequency doubling. The laser yields cw output at power levels >1 W in the wavelength range from 539 nm to 558 nm.

4th EPS-QEOD Europhoton Conference Hamburg Aug 29-3 Sep (2010)

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