Quasi-continuous-wave-pumped thulium-doped fiber laser with 0.2 kW of instantaneous output power

Abstract

A thulium-doped fiber laser operating quasi-continuous-wave generated 198 W of instantaneous output power in 0.2-ms pulses at 50 Hz repetition rate. The duty cycle becomes 1% and the average output power 2.0 W. This was cladding-pumped with 408 W from 0.79-um diode lasers (average pump power 4.1 W). The pump switch-on time was ~10 us at full power, with the laser exhibiting relaxation oscillations starting ~5 us after the start of the pumping and lasting for ~5 us. The slope efficiency with respect to absorbed pump power was 67% up to 200 W of absorbed pump power and 52% at the full 352 W of absorbed pump power. The low duty cycle simplified the heatsinking, despite the high instantaneous power and thermal load.