In-band pumping of Tm:LiYF₄ channel waveguide: a power scaling strategy for ∼2  μm waveguide lasers

Abstract

We report on a novel power scaling strategy for thulium waveguide (WG) lasers relying on in-band pumping by high-brightness Raman fiber lasers (RFLs) and the use of liquid-phase-epitaxy-grown fluoride crystalline thin films for better thermal management. Thulium channel WGs are produced by microstructuring the ${\mathrm{Tm}}^{3+}\text{:}{\mathrm{LiYF}}_4/{\mathrm{LiYF}}_4$ epitaxies via diamond-saw dicing. They are pumped by a RFL based on an erbium master oscillator power amplifier and a ${\mathrm{GeO}}_2$-doped silica fiber and emit polarized output at 1679 nm. A CW in-band-pumped (${}^3{\mathrm{H}}_6\to {}^3{\mathrm{F}}_4$) ${\mathrm{Tm}}^{3+}\text{:}{\mathrm{LiYF}}_4$ WG laser generates up to 2.05 W of a linearly polarized single-transverse-mode output at 1881 nm with a slope efficiency of 78.3% and a laser threshold of only 12 mW (versus the absorbed pump power).

© 2019 Optical Society of America

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