1. Introduction to fiber laser sources
Before getting to the heart of the matter, it's important to give an overview of the performance of fiber lasers and the reasons for their success. The average power obtained in a diffraction-limited beam can reach several kilowatts in continuous operation. This impressive average power is due in part to the geometry of the optical fiber, which acts as a very good heat sink thanks to the high ratio between the surface area exchanged with the outside world and the total volume. This power reaches 50 kW for systems with less-than-perfect beam quality.
Fiber-optic sources can also be used to generate optical pulses. In both nanosecond and femtosecond pulse regimes, the average power generated is several hundred watts, and the energy limit per pulse is a few millijoules. These performances are generally achieved using ytterbium-doped fibers. Fiber lasers enable the...
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Introduction to fiber laser sources
Different technologies for fiber lasers
Bibliography
Software tools
RP Fiber Power: Commercial software for simulating fiber-optic lasers and amplifiers http://www.rp-photonics.com/fiberpower.html
Fiberdesk: Commercial software for simulating propagation in optical fibers, including amplifiers and fiber oscillators.
Websites
Very useful link on photonics in general and laser sources in particular: Encyclopedia of laser physics and technology http://www.rp-photonics.com/encyclopedia.html (page consulted on June 21, 2011)
Standards and norms
- Spatial beam quality measurement: beam size and divergence " Lasers and laser-related equipment – Test methods for laser beam widths, divergence angles and beam propagation ratios " - ISO 11146 - 2005
- Définition de fibre monomode : « Cutoff wavelength measurement for single-mode fibre » - CEI/IEC International standard 793-1-C7A - 2011
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Manufacturers – Suppliers – Distributors (non-exhaustive list)
Rare earth-doped optical fibers
Corning http://www.corning.com
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