O. de Varona Ortega
W. Fittkau
P. Booker
T. Theeg
M. Steinke
D. Kracht
J. Neumann
P. Weßels

Single-frequency fiber amplifier at 1.5 µm with 100 W in the linearly-polarized TEM00 mode for next-generation gravitational wave detectors

Optics Express
21
25
24880-24892
2017
Type: Zeitschriftenaufsatz (reviewed)
Abstract
Next-generation gravitational wave detectors require single-frequency and high power lasers at a wavelength of 1.5 µm addressing a set of demanding requirements such as linearly-polarized TEM00 radiation with low noise to run for long periods. In this context, fiber amplifiers in MOPA configuration are promising candidates to fulfill these requirements. We present a single-frequency monolithic Er:Yb co-doped fiber amplifier (EYDFA) at 1.5 µm with a linearly-polarized TEM00 output power of 100 W. The EYDFA is pumped off-resonant at 940 nm to enhance the Yb-to-Er energy transfer efficiency and enable higher ASE threshold. We also performed numerical simulations to investigate the off-resonant pumping scheme and confirm the corresponding experimental results