Single-frequency Yb-doped fiber laser with distributed feedback based on a random FBG

Abstract

Single-frequency operation of a 1.03 μm fiber laser with random distributed feedback (RDFB) is demonstrated. The laser cavity is based on a 4 cm long fiber Bragg grating (FBG) consisting of 10 homogeneous subgratings with random phase and amplitude of refractive index modulation inscribed in a polarization maintaining (PM) Yb-doped fiber. Such RDFB laser generates single longitudinal mode with output power up to 25 mW, which is 3.5 times higher than that for a DFB laser based on regular π-shifted FBG of the same length in the same fiber. The single-frequency linewidth is measured to be <100 kHz in both cases. The observed difference of the DFB and RDFB lasers is confirmed by numerical simulation showing different longitudinal distribution of intra-cavity radiation in these cases, analogous to those in the experiment.