Title :
Toward More Coherent Sources Using a Microstructured Chalcogenide Brillouin Fiber Laser
Author :
Tow, K. Hey ; Leguillon, Y. ; Fresnel, S. ; Besnard, P. ; Brilland, L. ; Mechin, D. ; Toupin, Perrine ; Troles, J.
Author_Institution :
Foton Lab., Univ. Eur. de Bretagne, Lannion, France
Abstract :
Up to 16-dB frequency noise reduction and a linewidth 8 times narrower than that of the pump source is reported for the Stokes component in a compact Brillouin fiber laser (BFL) made up of chalcogenide microstructured fiber. Since the pump wave is not resonant in the ring cavity, an active stabilization of the laser is not primordial, thus making the system simpler and cheaper. Although only a 3-meter-long microstructured chalcogenide fiber is used as gain medium, a very low laser threshold power of 6 mW is obtained for nonresonant pumping. The linewidth-narrowing effect achieved in our BFL cavity is also discussed.
Keywords :
Brillouin spectra; chalcogenide glasses; fibre lasers; holey fibres; laser beams; laser cavity resonators; laser frequency stability; laser noise; optical glass; optical pumping; ring lasers; spectral line narrowing; BFL cavity; Stokes component; active laser stabilization; coherent sources; compact Brillouin fiber laser; frequency noise reduction; gain medium; linewidth-narrowing; low laser threshold power; microstructured chalcogenide brillouin fiber laser; noise figure 16 dB; nonresonant pumping; power 6 mW; pump source; pump wave; ring cavity; size 3 m; Cavity resonators; Frequency measurement; Laser excitation; Laser noise; Measurement by laser beam; Pump lasers; Scattering; Brillouin fiber lasers (BFLs); chalcogenide optical fiber; frequency noise; linewidth; microstructured optical fibers;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LPT.2012.2230163
