Keywords
laser, fiber laser, thulium fiber laser, eye safe laser, large mode area fiber laser, 2 micron fiber laser
Abstract
High power thulium fiber lasers are interesting for a myriad of applications due to their potential for high average output power, excellent beam quality, compactness, portability, high operating efficiency and broad, eye-safe spectral range from 1.8-2.1 microns. Currently, the majority of thulium laser research effort is being invested into scaling average output powers; however, such output powers are being scaled with no degree of control on laser system output spectrum or temporal behavior. Thulium fiber laser technology is not useful for many of its most important applications without implementation of techniques enabling tunable, narrow spectral widths with appropriate pulse durations for particular applications. This work outlines several techniques for spectral control of thulium fiber lasers and investigates scaling of average laser powers while using these techniques to maintain a desired spectral output. In addition, an examination of operation in both nanosecond and picosecond pulsed regimes and scaling of average powers and pulse energies in these regimes to useful power levels is conducted. The demonstration of thulium fiber laser systems for applications in frequency conversion and spectral beam combination is also discussed. In addition to the experimental results, theoretical modeling of thulium fiber amplifier operation, simple thermal management analysis, as well as practical fiber and system design considerations for future power scaling are presented. Experimental and theoretical results of this work will enable the successful design of future extremely high power spectrally and temporally controlled thulium fiber laser systems.
Notes
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Graduation Date
2009
Advisor
Richardson, Martin
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
College
College of Optics and Photonics
Department
Optics and Photonics
Degree Program
Optics
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
CFE0002885
URL
http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0002885
Language
English
Release Date
November 2009
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Access Status
Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)
STARS Citation
McComb, Timothy, "Power Scaling Of Large Mode Area Thulium Fiber Lasers In Various Spectral And Temporal Regimes" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3975.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/3975