2.78 μm passively Q-switched Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser based on PLD-Fe2+:ZnSe film

Abstract

Based on the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method, we first fabricated a mid-infrared Fe2+:ZnSe film saturable absorber (SA). By employing the PLD Fe2+:ZnSe film SA, we have demonstrated a passively Q-switched double-clad Er3+-doped ZBLAN fiber laser operating at a wavelength of 2.78 μm. Stable Q-switched pulses with pulse energy of 7.98 μJ and pulse duration of 0.742 μs, corresponding to a peak power of 10.76 W, were obtained at a repetition rate of 102.94 kHz. The maximum average output power is 822 mW. Our results demostrate that the PLD-Fe2+:ZnSe film SA is promising for high power pulse generation in compact mid-infrared fiber lasers.