A broadly tunable erbium-doped fiber ring laser: experimentation and modeling

Author

Bellemare, Antoine ; Karbsek, M. ; Riviere, Christophe ; Babin, François ; He, Gang ; Roy, Vincent ; Schinn, Gregory W.

Author_Institution

COPL, Laval Univ., Que., Canada

Volume

7

Issue

1

fYear

2001

Firstpage

22

Lastpage

29

Abstract

Broad-band tunability of erbium-doped silica fiber ring lasers in the 1.48-1.62 μm wavelength band is demonstrated through modeling and experiment. Tunability over the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) C- and L-bands is achieved with a simple laser design using a single gain medium working in deep saturation. A comprehensive numerical model based on an iterative solution of propagation rate equations and spectrally resolved Giles parameters was used to analyze the impact of various laser variables. The dependence of laser output power on total cavity loss, erbium-doped fiber length, pump power, and lasing wavelength has been investigated. The calculated laser characteristics have been found in good quantitative agreement with the experimentally obtained data. Experimental results concerning wavelength tunability, output power, and lasing wavelength repeatability/stability and spectral purity are also presented

Keywords

erbium; iterative methods; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser noise; laser stability; laser theory; laser tuning; optical fibre amplifiers; optical fibre losses; optical saturation; ring lasers; 1.48 to 1.62 mum; C-bands; Er-doped fiber amplifier; Er-doped fiber length; Er-doped fiber ring laser; Er-doped silica fiber ring lasers; L-bands; SiO₂:Er; broad-band tunability; broadly tunable Er-doped fiber ring laser; comprehensive numerical model; deep saturation; experimental results; experimentally obtained data; experimentation; iterative solution; laser characteristics; laser output power; laser variables; lasing wavelength; lasing wavelength repeatability; lasing wavelength stability; modeling; output power; propagation rate equations; pump power; quantitative agreement; simple laser design; single gain medium; spectral purity; spectrally resolved Giles parameters; total cavity loss; tunability; wavelength tunability; Erbium-doped fiber amplifier; Erbium-doped fiber lasers; L-band; Laser modes; Optical design; Power generation; Pump lasers; Ring lasers; Silicon compounds; Tunable circuits and devices;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/2944.924005

Filename

924005