A monolithic microlens for an ytterbium-doped microstructured optical fiber amplifier. (15th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xiao, Yang; Chen, Yun; Liu, Jiantao; Mai, Yifan; Liu, Ke; Hou, Zhiyun; Zhou, Guiyao; Xia, Changming
• Is Part Of: Laser physics. Volume 29:Number 3(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-02-15
• Subjects: microstructured optical fiber -- microlens -- amplifier -- end cap -- optical coupling -- beam shaping; Lasers -- Periodicals; 621.36605
• DOI: 10.1088/1555-6611/aaffc6
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1054-660X

Abstract

Abstract: Ytterbium-doped microstructured optical fibers have many advantages for fiber amplifiers. Due to air-hole structures in the cladding of ytterbium-doped microstructured optical fibers, high-power microstructured optical fiber laser systems require stricter treatment of the fiber end than conventional ytterbium-doped double-cladding fiber laser systems. Here, we fabricated a fiber microlens in an ytterbium-doped double-cladding microstructured optical fiber for a fiber amplifier by CO2 -laser fusion. The microlens can combine the end-cap scheme, pump coupling and beam shaping. This end face processing technology is useful for high mechanical stability, good reproducibility and miniaturization of laser systems.