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In recent years, ultrafast laser systems using large-mode-area fiber amplifiers delivering several hundreds of watts of average power has attracted significant academic and industrial interest. These amplifiers can generate hundreds of kilowatts to megawatts of peak power using direct amplification and multi-gigawatts of peak power using pulse stretching techniques. These amplifiers are enabled by advancements in Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) design and manufacturing technology. In this paper, we will give a short overview of state-of-the-art PCF amplifiers and describe the performance in ultrafast ps laser systems.

In this paper we present our recent result on utilizing resonant/bandgap fiber designs to achieve high performance ytterbium doped fiber amplifiers for achieving diffraction limited beam quality in large mode area fibers, robust bending performance and gain shaping for long wavelength operation of Yb-doped amplifiers.

Summary form only given. Ultrafast ps and fs laser systems using ROD fiber amplifiers delivering megawatts of peak power and several hundreds of watts in average power have attracted significant academic and industrial interest in recent years. However, the power scaling has reached a temporary limit caused by thermal effects, which has set a limit of average power scaling of these amplifiers due to so called modal instabilities (MIs) [1]. New types of fiber designs with very large cores have been suggested to increase the average power limit [2, 3]. One way of achieving this, is using resonant structures [3], however it is often speculated that these structures are sensitive to temperature causing unstable beam quality under high thermal load (high power extraction pr unit length).A 25-ps mode-locked linearly polarized seed source at 1032 nm (40MHz rep rate, 16 W average power) is used to seed a distributed mode filtering ROD fiber with 90μm core diameter. The ROD fiber shows excellent power conversion efficiency as shown in Fig. 1 with almost linear slope and the MI threshold level is observed at 314 W of average output power corresponding to ~320kW of peak power. Optical to optical conversion efficiency is 69% and the mode quality is stable below the MI threshold. No non-linear effects are observed and the ASE is suppressed by ~35dB, shown in Fig.1. The experiments are modeled using a semi-analytical approach [4, 5], where a nonlinear coupling constant that depends on the thermo-optical effect is determined. χ is combined with FEM-calculated mode distributions to predict the onset of modal instabilities for this particular fiber design.We demonstrate that a ROD fiber design having a resonant structure can deliver efficient and linear amplification to high average output power without suffering from thermal load induced beam quality degradation. In addition, we evaluate the influence of the noise of the seed source on the MI threshold level. We model the MI threshold for this fiber and show good agreement between measurements and simulations, when the MIs are seeded by system dependent noise.

Photonic crystal bandgap fibers employing distributed mode filtering design provide near diffraction-limited light outputs, a critical property of fiber-based high-power lasers. Microstructure of the fibers is tailored to achieve single-mode operation at specific wavelength by resonant mode coupling of higher-order modes. We analyze the modal regimes of the fibers having a mode field diameter of 60 µm by the cross-correlated (C(2)) imaging method in different wavelength ranges and evaluate the sensitivity of the modal content to various input-coupling conditions. As a result, we experimentally identify regimes of resonant coupling between higher-order core modes and cladding band. We demonstrate a passive fiber design in which the higher-order modal content inside the single-mode guiding regime is suppressed by at least 20 dB even for significantly misaligned input-coupling configurations.

We investigate the temporal dynamics of Modal instabilities (MI) in ROD fiber amplifiers using a 100 μm core rod fiber in a single-pass amplifier configuration, and we achieve ~200W of extracted output power before the onset of MI. Above the MI threshold, we investigate the temporal dynamics of beam fluctuations in both the transient and chaotic regime. We identify a set of discrete frequencies in the transient regime and a white distribution of frequencies in the chaotic regime. We test three identical rods using a multiple ramp-up procedure, where each rod is tested in three test series and thermally annealed between each test series. We find that the MI threshold degrades as it is reached multiple times, but is recovered by thermal annealing. We also find that the test history of the rods affects the temporal dynamics.

We analyze the modal properties of an 85μm core distributed mode filtering rod fiber using cross-correlated (C 2 ) imaging. We evaluate suppression of higher-order modes (HOMs) under severely misaligned mode excitation and identify a single-mode regime where HOMs are suppressed by more than 20dB.

Degenerate spontaneous four wave mixing is studied for the rst time in a large mode area hybrid photonic crystal ber, where light con nement is achieved by combined index- and bandgap guiding. Four wave mixing products are generated on the edges of the bandgaps, which is veri ed by numerical and experimental results. Since the core mode is in resonance with cladding modes near the bandedges an unconventional measurement technique is used, in this work named nonlinear spatial mode imaging.

The modal instability (MI) threshold is estimated for four rod fiber designs by combining a semi-analytic model with the finite element method. The thermal load due to the quantum defect is calculated and used to numerically determine the mode distributions on which the expression for the onset of MIs is highly dependent. The relative intensity noise of the seed laser in an amplifier setup is used to seed the mode coupling between the fundamental and higher order mode, and lead to MI threshold values of 174 W – 348 W of extracted output power for the four rod fibers having core diameters in the range 53 μm – 95 μm.

Large-mode-area PCF amplifiers are today being deployed in commercial laser systems. The technology has undergone a tremendous evolution on many industrial key performance parameters. In this talk, we will review some of this activity.

The effects of thermally-induced refractive index change on distributed modal filtering rod-type photonic crystal fibers are numerically investigated. Results have shown a significant blue-shift of the single-mode range for increasing temperature.

The effects of thermally-induced refractive index change in Yb-doped Distributed Modal Filtering (DMF) photonic crystal fibers are investigated, where high-order mode suppression is obtained by resonant coupling with high index elements in the cladding. The temperature distribution on the fiber cross-section is calculated with an analytical model, for different pump power values. The consequent refractive index change, due to the thermo-optical effect, is applied to the cross-section of the DMF fiber, whose guiding properties are studied with a full-vector modal solver based on the finite element method. A DMF fiber design, which is single-mode in the 1030 nm–1064 nm region, is considered, and the effects of thermal load on the transmission characteristics are evaluated. Results show a blue-shift of the single-mode window and the single-mode bandwidth narrowing as the absorbed pump power becomes higher.

A large-mode-area Ytterbium-doped photonic crystal fiber amplifier with build-in gain shaping is presented. The fiber cladding consists of a hexagonal lattice of air holes, where three rows are replaced with circular high-index inclusions. Seven missing air holes define the large-mode-area core. Light confinement is achieved by combined index and bandgap guiding, which allows for single-mode operation and gain shaping through distributed spectral filtering of amplified spontaneous emission. The fiber properties are ideal for amplification in the long wavelength regime of the Ytterbium gain spectrum above 1100 nm, and red shifting of the maximum gain to 1130 nm is demonstrated.

We report on an ytterbium doped single mode distributed mode filtering rod fiber in an amplifier configuration delivering high average output power, up to 292 watts, using a mode-locked 30ps source at 1032nm with good power conversion efficiency. We study the modal stability of the output beam at high average output power levels and demonstrate a 44% power improvement before the threshold-like onset of mode instabilities by operating the rod fiber in a leaky waveguide regime. We investigate the guiding dynamics of the rod fiber and explain the improved performance by thermally induced refractive index profile change.

A large-mode-area Ytterbium-doped photonic crystal fiber amplifier with efficient suppression of amplified spontaneous emission is presented. The fiber cladding consists of a hexagonal lattice of air holes, where three rows are replaced with circular high-index inclusions. Seven missing air holes define the large-mode-area core. Light confinement is achieved by combined index and bandgap guiding, which allows for single-mode operation and distributed spectral filtering of amplified spontaneous. The fiber properties give control of the gain shape and are ideal for amplification in the long wavelength regime of the Ytterbium gain spectrum above 1100 nm.

High-power fiber amplifiers for pulsed applications require large mode area (LMA) fibers having high pump absorption and near diffraction limited output. This improves the limiting factor of nonlinear effects, while maintaining good beam quality. Photonic crystal fibers allow realization of short LMA fiber amplifiers having high pump absorption through a pump cladding that is decoupled from the outer fiber. However, achieving ultra low NA for single-mode (SM) guidance is challenging, and thus different design strategies must be applied to filter out higher order modes (HOMs). The novel distributed modal filtering (DMF) design presented here enables SM guidance, and previous results have shown a SM mode field diameter of 60 μm operating in a 20 nm SM bandwidth. The DMF rod fiber has high index ring-shaped inclusions acting as resonators enabling SM guidance through modal filtering of HOMs. Large preform tolerances are compensated during the fiber draw resulting in ultra low NA fibers with very large cores. In this paper, design optimization of the SM bandwidth of the DMF rod fiber is presented. Analysis of band gap properties results in a fourfold increase of the SM bandwidth compared to previous results, achieved by utilizing the first band of cladding modes. This covers of a large fraction of the Yb emission band, where wavelengths of 1030 nm and 1064 nm can be included.

We report 216W of average output power from a photonic crystal rod fiber amplifier. We demonstrate almost 50% power improvement of the mode onset instability by operating the rod fiber in a leaky guiding regime.

We present recent development of hybrid photonic crystal fiber amplifiers and components providing enhanced spectral and modal filtering.

We present recent development of photonic crystal fiber amplifiers containing photonic bandgap structures for enhanced spectral and modal filtering functionality.

High-power fiber amplifiers for pulsed applications require large mode area (LMA) fibers having high pump absorption and near diffraction limited output. Photonic crystal fibers allow realization of short LMA fiber amplifiers having high pump absorption through a pump cladding that is decoupled from the outer fiber diameter. However, achieving ultra low NA for single mode (SM) guidance is challenging, thus different design strategies must be applied. The distributed modal filtering (DMF) design enables SM guidance in ultra low NA fibers with very large cores, where large preform tolerances can be compensated during the fiber draw. Design optimization of the SM bandwidth of the DMF rod fiber is presented. Analysis of band gap properties results in a fourfold increase of the SM bandwidth compared to previous results, achieved by utilizing the first band of cladding modes, which can cover a large fraction of the Yb emission band including wavelengths of 1030 nm and 1064 nm. Design parameters tolerating refractive index fabrication uncertainties of ± 10-4 are targeted to yield stable SM bandwidths.

We demonstrate a high power fiber (85 μm core) amplifier delivering up to 292 Watts of average output power using a mode-locked 30 ps source at 1032 nm. Utilizing a single mode distributed mode filter bandgap rod fiber, we demonstrate 44% power improvement before the threshold-like onset of mode instabilities by operating the rod fiber in a leaky waveguide regime. We investigate the guiding dynamics of the rod fiber and report a distinct bandgap blue-shifting as function of increased signal power level. Furthermore, we theoretically analyze the guiding dynamics of the DMF rod fiber and explain the bandgap blue-shifting with thermally induced refractive index change of the refractive index profile.

High power harmonic generation of visible (green) and UV light have been dominated mainly by solid-state lasers but, in recent years, fiber laser based systems have started to challenge them [1]. In most applications, high peak and pulse energies are typically required. Nonlinearities need, therefore, to be minimized and the actual trend is to use large mode area fibers with very large core sizes [2, 3]. Such solution typically requires a master oscillator power amplifier architecture in order to achieve enough average output power or pulse energy without compromising the stability and the quality of the output beam.

We demonstrate modal characterization using spatial and spectral resolved (S2) imaging, on an Ytterbium-doped large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber (PCF) amplifier and compare results with conventional cut-off methods. We apply numerical simulations and step-index fiber experiments to calibrate our mathematical and experimental routines of our S2 imaging system. We systematically analyze higher order mode (HOM) content of a polarizing 40μm core double-clad PCF amplifier with various launching and coiling configurations. We demonstrate a HOM suppression of more than -24dB with variance of 2.3dB.

Enabling Single-Mode (SM) operation in Large-Mode-Area (LMA) fiber amplifiers and lasers is critical, since a SM output ensures high beam quality and excellent pointing stability. In this paper, we demonstrate and test a new design approach for achieving ultra-low NA SM rod fibers by using a spatially Distributed Mode Filter (DMF). This approach achieves SM performance in a short and straight rod fiber and allows preform tolerances to be compensated during draw. A low-NA SM rod fiber amplifier having a mode field diameter of ~60μm at 1064nm and a pump absorption of 27dB/m at 976nm is demonstrated.

Power scaling of Yb-doped large-mode-area fibers drives the scaling of the mode area in order to suppress nonlinearities. Two Yb-doped large-mode-area fibers were manufactured using the Direct Nanoparticle Deposition process: one with a step refractive index profile and active ion confinement, and another with a tailored refractive index and active ion confinement. The index tailoring and doping profiles were designed based on literature to enhance the beam quality of the fibers. Both fibers exhibited a mode field diameter comparable to a 40μm step index fiber with 0.07 NA. The fibers were characterized for their geometries, index profiles, and material composition profiles. Additional testing for beam quality and nonlinearities in pulsed operation was conducted using a power amplifier setup. The beam quality enhancement capability of the tested fibers was inconclusive due to incomparable launching conditions of the signal to the fibers.

Photodarkening is a detrimental phenomenon known to affect ytterbium doped fibers. Methods to study the spectral and temporal properties of the photodarkening induced loss were developed. The spectral shape of the photodarkening loss measured from multiple aluminosilicate samples indicate that visible wavelength(s) could be used in benchmarking fibers for their PD induced loss. Two principal methods, core and cladding pumping, were introduced to induce a known and repeatable inversion to fiber samples. The photodarkening rate could be parameterized using a single variable, inversion. More generally, the photodarkening rate was found to follow a simple power law and to be proportional to [Yb]7±1 (the excited state Yb ion density). Two methods, stretched exponential and bi-exponential, were used to fit the rate measurements. Both fitting methods were found suitable, with the bi-exponential method having more potential in increasing the understanding of the mechanism(s) behind photodarkening. Coiling induced spatial changes in the inversion and subsequent photodarkening performance were demonstrated for a large-mode-area fiber laser.

We experimentally demonstrated that photodarkening is not uniformly distributed in the cross-section of bent LMA fibers. Photodarkening distribution depends on coiling diameter, and affects the use of fibers in applications and their photodarkening propensity measurement.

We present a semi-analytic numerical model to estimate the transverse modal instability (TMI) threshold for photonic crystal rod amplifiers. The model includes thermally induced waveguide perturbations in the fiber cross section modeled with finite element simulations, and the relative intensity noise (RIN) of the seed laser, which seeds mode coupling between the fundamental and higher order mode. The TMI threshold is predicted to ~370 W – 440 W depending on RIN for the distributed modal filtering rod fiber.

High-power fiber lasers and amplifiers have gained tremendous momentum in the last 5 years. Many of the traditional manufacturers of gas and solid-state lasers are now pursuing the fiber-based systems, which are displacing the conventional technology in many areas. High-power fiber laser systems require reliable fibers with large cores, stable mode quality, and good power handling capabilities-requirements that are all met by the airclad fiber technology. In the present paper we go through many of the building blocks needed to build high-power systems and we show an example of a complete airclad laser system. We present the latest advancements within airclad fiber technology including a new 100 m single-mode polarization-maintaining rod-type fiber capable of amplifying to megawatt power levels. Furthermore, we describe the novel airclad-based pump combiners and their use in a completely monolithic 350 W cw fiber laser system with an M2 of less than 1.1. © 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Enabling Single-Mode (SM) operation in Large-Mode-Area (LMA) fiber amplifiers and lasers is critical, since a SM output ensures high beam quality and excellent pointing stability. In this paper, we demonstrate and test a new design approach for achieving SM LMA rod fibers by using a photonic bandgap structure. The structure allows resonant coupling of higher-order modes from the core and acts as a spatially Distributed Mode Filter (DMF). With this approach, we demonstrate passive SM performance in an only ~50cm long and straight ytterbium-doped rod fiber. The amplifier has a mode field diameter of ∼59Lim at 1064nm and exhibits a pump absorption of 27dB/m at 976nm. © 2011 Optical Society of America.

We demonstrate a Single-Mode (SM) Large-Mode-Area (LMA) ytterbium-doped PCF rod fiber laser with stable and close to diffraction limited beam quality with 110W output power. Distributed-Mode-Filtering (DMF) elements integrated in the cladding of the rod fiber provide a robust spatial mode with a Mode-Field-Diameter (MFD) of 59 mu m. We further demonstrate high pulse energy Second-Harmonic-Generation (SHG) and Third Harmonic Generation (THG) using a simple Q-switched single-stage rod fiber laser cavity architecture reaching pulse energies up to 1mJ at 515nm and 0.5mJ at 343nm. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America

We perform modal characterization on an ytterbium-doped large mode area photonic-crystal-fiber (PCF) amplifier using spatial and spectral (S 2) resolved imaging and compare results to conventional cutoff methods. We apply numerical simulations and step-index fiber experiments to calibrate our mathematical and experimental routines of our S2 imaging system. We systematically analyze higher-order-mode (HOM) content of a polarizing 40-m core double-clad PCF amplifier with various launching and coiling configurations. We demonstrate a HOM suppression of more than -24 dB with variance of 2.3 dB. © 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

Yb-doped fibers are widely used in applications requiring high average output powers and high power pulse amplification. Photodarkening of the Yb-doped silicate glass core potentially limits the lifetime or efficiency of such fiber devices. In many studies of photodarkening, two principal methods of controllably inducing an inversion are used, namely, cladding pumping and core pumping of the sample. We present simulation results describing the key differences in the inversion profiles of samples of different physical parameters in these two cases, and we discuss the problems and possibilities that arise in benchmarking fibers of various physical parameters. Based on the simulation and experimental work, we propose guidelines for photodarkening benchmarking measurements and show examples of measurements made within and outside of the guidelines.