Mid-IR pulse amplification to ∼millijoule energies in a single transverse mode using large core Er:ZBLAN fibers operating at 2.8µm.

Abstract

We demonstrate single transverse mode and high energy nanosecond pulse amplification at ∼2.8-µm using large core Er:ZBLAN fibers. The highest energies achieved are 0.75mJ from a 50 µm core, and 420µJ from a 30 µm core fibers respectively, seeded with 95 ns long pulses generated by a ring-cavity Q-switched Er:ZBLAN fiber laser. Nearly diffraction-limited beams with M2 = 1.2-1.3 were obtained using a single-mode excitation technique of multi-mode core fibers. Achieved pulse energies exceed by approximately an order of magnitude the previously reported highest pulse energies in a single transverse mode from a fiber laser or amplifier at these mid-IR wavelengths.