Diode-pumped Ho3+, Pr3+-doped fluoride glass double clad fibre laser tuneable from 2.825 μm to 2.90 μm

Abstract

The burgeoning field of mid-infrared photonics requires a wide range pump and probe sources in order to develop the integrated optical components that are required for applications in medicine, defence and astronomy. Shortwave infrared (SWIR) fibre lasers based on mature fluoride glass optical fibre technology offers high power radiation in the 2.7 μm to 3 μm region; a region that is not covered by the emission from quantum cascade lasers. The Er³⁺-doped ZBLAN fibre lasers operating on the ⁴|11/2 → ⁴|13/2 transition offers high power [1,2] and broad tunability [3–5] in a diode pumpable format with multiple Watt output recently produced between 2.71 μm and 2.88 μm [6].