@inproceedings{b42e60cc58554df58d043f3a7c7468a0,
title = "4.5 W mid-infrared supercontinuum generation in a ZBLAN fiber pumped by a Q-switched mode-locked Tm3+- doped fiber laser",
abstract = "The generation of mid-infrared (mid-IR) supercontinuum (SC) radiation, ranging from 2 - 5 mu m, is subject of intense research due to its wide range of applications. A very popular host media for mid-IR SC generation are soft glass fibers owing to their low-loss transmission in the mid-IR wavelength regime, particularly fluoride fibers are very attractive for high-power operation. In this research study, a diode-pumped Q-switched mode-locked (QML) thulium (Tm3+) - doped double-clad silica fiber laser is used to pump a ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF (ZBLAN) fiber for mid-IR SC generation. The QML regime of the fiber laser is actively generated by two acousto-optic modulators. The Tm3+-fiber laser provided up to 23.5 W (26 W) of average output power in QML (continuous wave) regime with a slope efficiency of 36 % (32 %). The measured beam quality has been close to the diffraction-limit in QML regime. The system delivered mode-locked pulses with a duration of 7.5 ps, measured with a commercial autocorrelator system, at a repetition rate of 46 MHz. The Q-switched envelopes had a width between 50 and 150 ns depending on the output power level and the adjustable repetition rate. Mid-IR SC with an average output power in all spectral bands of 4.5 W have been achieved with more than 3 W/ 1.7 W/ 1 W/ 0.36 W after a long-wave-pass filter with a 3 dB-edge at 2.15 mu m/ 2.65 mu m/ 3.1 mu m/ 3.5 mu m.",
keywords = "Mid-infrared supercontinuum generation, Tm3+- doped fiber laser, Q-switched mode-locking, ZBLAN, TIME-AVERAGED POWER, MU-M FIBER, FLUORIDE FIBERS",
author = "C. Kneis and B. Donelan and A. Berrou and I. Manek-Hoenninger and B. Cadier and T. Robin and M. Poulain and F. Joulain and M. Eichhorn and C. Kieleck",
year = "2015",
doi = "10.1117/12.2077215",
language = "English",
series = "Proceedings of SPIE",
publisher = "SPIE",
editor = "WA Clarkson and RK Shori",
booktitle = "Solid State Lasers XXIV: Technology and Devices",
address = "United States",
note = "Conference on Solid State Lasers XXIV - Technology and Devices ; Conference date: 08-02-2015 Through 10-02-2015",
}