High-power Fiber Laser Research Articles

ENHANCING SURFACE PROPERTIES OF 34Ni-Cr-Mo6 STEEL THROUGH LASER TREATMENT VARIATIONS: A COMPREHENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION STUDY

Laser-based surface enhancement techniques improve metals’ mechanical properties. Laser Hardening (LH) and Laser Shock Peening (LSP) techniques are effective particularly well with low-alloy steel made of 34Ni-Cr-Mo6, which is a type of steel alloy that is put to use in a wide variety of fields because it possesses excellent levels of both strength and toughness. For specific applications, the laser can be shaped into line or spherical beams. On the other hand, typical industrial requirements of low alloy steel components like 34Ni-Cr-Mo6 are enhanced hardness and mechanical strength with minimum or no distortion. A 3 kW high power fiber laser with a flat top-hat beam of dimension [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]mm and a circular beam of Ø6[Formula: see text]mm are employed in this study. Investigation into the effects of repeated LSP on the microstructures and residual stress of 34Ni-Cr-Mo6 low alloy steel was also done. LSP treatment is carried out at 6.36[Formula: see text]GWcm[Formula: see text] Laser Power Density (LPD) with different laser impacts, i.e. single and double, by keeping 0% overlap along the scanning direction and perpendicular directions, respectively. The shock-peened samples were characterized in terms of residual stress measurements and microstructural evolution using different characterization techniques. A substantial improvement in compressive residual stress was observed at the hardened cross-section i.e. [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]MPa and at shock peened surface [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]MPa respectively as compared to the as-received sample ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]MPa). LH samples showed a better result in terms of microhardness values when compared to shock peened samples i.e. for LH, the microhardness values at the cross-section were [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]HV[Formula: see text] nearly 2.5 times increase in hardness. Extreme plastic deformation was found by microstructural examination of cross-sections of LSP-treated areas. Hardness was nearly marginally improved in multiple times LSP-treated samples compared to unpeened ones as a result of LSP.

Evolution of High-order Laser Array Locking in High Peak Power Fiber Lasers

Evolution of High-order Laser Array Locking in High Peak Power Fiber Lasers

Multi-watt picosecond 1.7 µm Tm-doped fiber laser amplification system.

We report on a multi-watt, high-repetition-rate picosecond 1.7 µm Tm-doped fiber (TDF) laser amplification system. The seed oscillator is a figure-9 passively mode-locked TDF laser, which delivers a pulse train with a center wavelength of 1738nm and a fundamental repetition rate of ∼85 MHz. After a pre-amplifier and two stages of TDF amplifiers, the output power can be amplified to 5.2 W at a pump power of 10 W, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 52.1%. The output pulse duration is 33.87 ps and the pulse energy is 61 nJ. These results demonstrated that it is an effective method for achieving high-power ultrafast fiber laser source at 1.7 µm waveband, which would be a promising candidate for diverse applications such as polymer welding, bioimaging, mid-infrared laser generation and medical applications.

Unveiling the mechanism of dynamic transverse mode instability mitigation through static mode degradation: a study in the two-mode fiber lasers.

Dynamic transverse mode instability (TMI) has become one of the primary limitations for power scaling of high-power fiber lasers. Experimental evidence has shown that static mode degradation can suppress the dynamic TMI effect. This study reveals the physical mechanisms behind the mitigation of dynamic TMI in two-mode fiber lasers through static mode degradation. Using a dynamic TMI model based on the two-beam coupling theory, we differentiate the impacts of relative intensity noise and the proportion of higher-order mode in the seed on TMI. Static mode degradation modifies the transverse gain distribution, thereby affecting the overlap between the thermally induced refractive index grating and the interference light field, which inhibits dynamic mode coupling. Our findings indicate that the effectiveness of this suppression is significantly influenced by the gain saturation. By enhancing gain saturation through strategies such as optimizing the pump injection direction, adjusting the pump wavelength, and reducing the core-to-cladding ratio, the suppression of TMI can be maximized, which is essential for advancing the performance and stability of these laser systems.

Improved Surface Quality and Microstructure Regulation in High Power Fiber Laser Cutting of Stainless Steel Grid Plates.

In order to disintegrate nuclear fuel rods in the grid connection structure, a 10 kW fiber laser was used to cut a stainless steel simulation component with four layers of 3 mm thick plates and 12 mm gaps. The slit width is regarded as an important indicator to evaluate the cutting quality of the four-layer stainless steel plate. The results showed that good laser cutting quality can be successfully achieved under the proper process parameters. The widths of the cut seams of the four layers of grating after cutting were 1.25, 1.65, 1.80, and 1.92 mm. As the auxiliary gas pressure decreased layer by layer, the metal melting pool for the first two plates was mainly destroyed by the auxiliary gas. The cutting quality was good, and the slit area was mainly austenite with the presence of some ferrite. The third- and fourth-layer plates almost had no gas flow to assist blowing off, so the cut surface was an uneven melting pit, the cutting quality was poor, and the cut seam area ferrite content was higher than the upper plate cut seam area. At the same time, due to the lack of airflow cooling of the bottom plate, high laser energy, and long heating time, grain coarsening occurred, while grain deformation and a large number of dislocations existed. It can provide process support and technical guidance for the disintegration of nuclear fuel rods.

High-power pulsed Raman fiber laser with wavelength over 2.4 μm

In this paper, the compact high-power pulsed Raman fiber lasers based on single-pass stimulated Raman scattering have been experimentally presented. Home-built noise-like pulse laser centered at ∼1994.7 nm with an envelope width of ∼20.8 ns was utilized as the pump laser, which can provide a maximal output power of ∼19.1 W without a notable spectral broadening. The 1st-order Raman laser operated at ∼2190.8 nm with a maximal output power of ∼4.11 W and a spectral purity of ∼93 % was achieved. Furthermore, by finely optimizing the length of Raman-gain fiber, the 2nd-order Raman laser centered at ∼2408.5 nm with a maximal power of ∼2.36 W was achieved, which represents the maximal value of Raman laser at 2.4 μm in silica-core fiber, to the best of our knowledge. The high-power pulsed Raman fiber lasers may have the potential applications in polymer material processing and spectroscopy.

Femtosecond laser inscription of Bragg gratings in Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite glass fibers for lasing at 2.3 µm.

In this paper, fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are inscribed in Tm3+-doped fluorotellurite glass fiber (TDFTF) and applied to construction of a 2.3-µm all-fiber laser. The FBGs with a center wavelength of 2.3 µm are fabricated by using the femtosecond laser point-by-point method combined with the slit beam shaping technique. Both the reflectivity and insertion loss of FBGs are investigated for different pulse energies, grating orders, and grating lengths. The FBG with a reflectivity of 90.4% is inscribed at one end of a 1.5-m-long TDFTF. Employing a 1410-nm/1570-nm dual-wavelength upconversion pumping technique, lasing at 2.3 µm is achieved. The maximum unsaturated output power is 1.88 W, and the slope efficiency is 37%. High stability has been demonstrated for both the wavelength and output power of the laser over an hour. This research is crucial for advancing the development of high-power fiber lasers operating at 2.3 µm.

Effect of fiber twist angle and non-uniform symmetric alignment on signal combiner

Signal beam combiners play a pivotal role in enhancing the output power of fiber lasers, which have wide-ranging applications from industrial processing to medical and military uses. This paper explores the influence of fiber twist angle and non-uniform symmetric arrangement on the performance of 19 × 1 fiber signal combiners. A simulation model was developed to analyze the impact of these parameters under adiabatic tapering conditions and the principle of brightness conservation. The model allowed for a systematic investigation of how varying twist angles and non-uniform spacings affect the combiner's performance metrics, such as transmission efficiency and beam quality. The study found that an optimal balance between high transmission efficiency (up to 98.5%) and good beam quality (minimum M2 factor of 1.06) can be achieved when the twist angle is kept below 60° and the non-uniform spacing is maintained within 10–30 μm. These conditions ensure minimal degradation of the beam quality while maximizing the transmission efficiency of the combiner. These findings offer valuable insights into the optimization of signal combiner design, which is critical for advancing high-power fiber laser systems. By carefully controlling the fiber twist angle and non-uniform spacing, designers can achieve superior performance in fiber laser applications, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency and reliability of these systems. This research contributes to the broader field of optical engineering by providing a deeper understanding of the underlying principles that govern the performance of signal combiners.

Nanoparticle doping as a way to enhance holmium fiber lasers efficiency

Highly-doped holmium fibers have been prepared using modified chemical vapor deposition in combination with nanoparticle-doping method. Within a series of various Al2O3 and Ho3+ concentrations, relations between fibers composition and their fluorescence and laser parameters have been studied. Al/Ho molar ratio equal to at least 50 was found to be the key factor for fibers with outstanding parameters. Fibers with slope efficiency above 80%, laser threshold below 100 mW and fluorescence lifetime up to 1.6 ms have been prepared. Thanks to high Al2O3 concentrations, obtained through nanoparticle doping, we were able to achieve high-performance fibers in a wide range of Ho3+ concentrations. An output power of 19 W with 81% slope efficiency was reached using fiber with almost 4000 ppm of Ho3+ and 10 mol.% of Al2O3. This result is encouraging for highly efficient high-power cladding-pumped holmium fiber lasers, and studied relations between fibers composition and their laser parameters will be used in the designing of such laser sources.

Toward 10-watt-level single-frequency fiber laser oscillators

High-power single-frequency laser oscillators are in great demand for some specific applications, such as quantum information and laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatories, where 10-watt or even 100-watt-level narrow-linewidth lasers with extremely low noise levels are required. In this paper, we present numerical investigations on the power scalability of single-frequency distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) ytterbium-doped phosphate fiber lasers and identify the low-quantum-defect operation approach to 10-watt single-frequency laser oscillators with the best figure of merit, defined by the ratio of the laser efficiency to the quantum defect. This research offers valuable insights for the design and development of high-power single-frequency DBR fiber laser oscillators at many other wavelengths.

1010 nm Directly LD-Pumped 6kW Monolithic Fiber Laser Employing Long-Tapered Yb3+-Doped Fiber

Utilizing long-wavelength laser diodes (LDs) for pumping to achieve high-power fiber laser output is an effective method for attaining high quantum efficiency and excellent thermal management. In this work, we report on a Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA)-structured long-tapered Yb3+-doped fiber laser directly pumped by long-wavelength laser diodes. By shifting the center wavelength of the pump source to 1010 nm, the heat generation within the fiber laser is effectively controlled, thereby increasing the transverse mode instability (TMI) threshold. Additionally, the use of a long-tapered fiber enlarges the mode area and suppresses stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) effects that typically arise from increased fiber length. As a result, an output of 6030 W is achieved with an optical-to-optical (O–O) efficiency of 83.7%, a SRS suppression ratio exceeding 50 dB, and no occurrence of dynamic TMI. This approach provides a valuable reference for optimizing long-wavelength pumping to suppress nonlinear effects and also holds potential for wide-temperature operational applications.

Efficient high-power diffraction-limited fiber laser with a record low quantum defect of 1.7%

In this work, we demonstrate an approach to potentially lower the quantum defect to ∼1% without significant compromise of efficiency. In a first demonstration, a diffraction-limited ∼154 W laser emitting at ∼993 nm with negligible amplified spontaneous emission, pumped at ∼976 nm, was achieved with a slope efficiency of ∼75% vs the launched pump power. The laser quantum defect is a record low of 1.7% for high-power (>100 W) solid-state lasers to the best of our knowledge. The output is only limited by the available pump power.

Effective mitigation of photodarkening-induced transverse mode instability in a monolithic fiber laser oscillator by 450 nm laser irradiation.

The photodarkening (PD) and transverse mode instability (TMI) effects are two main factors limiting the power increase and long-term stability of high-power fiber lasers. A prolonged burn-in test for an all-fiber laser oscillator below the TMI threshold was carried out. We observed the PD-induced TMI effects, which manifested as a sudden decrease in the output power due to higher-order mode leakage. After several minutes of exposure to a high-power density 450 nm laser diode (LD), the output power returned to its initial state, significantly enhancing the oscillator's stability. The 450 nm LD probably mitigates the accumulation of thermal effects by inhibiting the photodarkening effect, thus preventing the occurrence of the TMI effects and improving the stability of the oscillator's output power. Our work provides useful guidance for the development of high-stability fiber laser oscillators.

Secondary emission behavior analysis and aerosol characteristics evaluation in laser cutting for safe nuclear decommissioning

We analyzed secondary emissions and aerosol characteristics generated during the cutting of 10–30 mm thick austenitic 304 L stainless-steel plates with a high-power fiber laser. This study comprehensively includes exhausted aerosols, sedimented dross, wall deposits, and attached slag. The amount of secondary emissions for each cutting process condition was determined by type. Over 98 % of the secondary emissions consisted of attached slag and sedimented dross, with wall deposits accounting for 0.5–1.4 % and exhausted aerosols for less than 0.1 %. As cutting thickness increased, the total amount of secondary emissions increased. The ratios of attached slag and sedimented dross varied depending on cutting speed and laser power. The count median aerodynamic diameter of aerosols was ∼0.12 µm when a 30 mm thick plate was cut with a laser power of 3 kW. Aerosol concentration decreased by nearly 30 % with increasing cutting speed, depending on conditions, suggesting that optimizing speeds can effectively reduce aerosol generation. Chemical composition analysis provides insights into aerosol reactivity, toxicity, and environmental impacts, aiding in the design of filtration and ventilation systems. These results are expected to reduce environmental and health impacts in nuclear decommissioning processes.

Cylindrical Vector Beams with an MOPA Amplifier Based on Nonlinear Polarization Rotation Mode-Locking

CVBs (cylindrical vector beams) are widely used in optical imaging, optical trapping, material processing, etc. In this study, based on mode-selective couplers and passive mode-locking fiber technology, a cylindrical vector fiber amplifier with an MOPA (master oscillator power amplifier) structure was developed. In the experiment, the pre-amp stage reached 19.87 mW output power and a CVB output with a mode purity greater than 97%. The measured beam quality factor was M2 = 2.1. The CVB output power obtained by the first-amp stage was 152.4 mW, and the mode purity was greater than 92%. The measured beam quality factor was M2 = 1.99. The internal inhomogeneity and external effects of the isotropic LMA (large-mode-area) fiber led to a decrease in beam quality and mode purity. After amplification, the gain of the fundamental mode was higher and the power was greater, resulting in a greatly reduced mode purity. This CVB fiber amplifier yielded important research value in expanding the applications of high-power fiber lasers.

High power mid-infrared side-pump combiner with good thermal stability based on the point-by-point fusion splicing technique.

High-power mid-infrared fiber lasers, featuring superior beam quality and good power-scaling ability, have a few important applications in material processing, medical surgery, and molecule spectroscopy. The high-power pump light combiner, as one of the key elements for constructing a mid-infrared fiber laser, is crucial for the laser performance. While some advanced side-pump combiners based on fluoride fiber have been reported in recent literatures, the thermal stability of the fluoride fiber combiner, which is closely-related to its power-scaling capability, is a long-living challenge. In this work, we demonstrate a high-power mid-infrared side-pump combiner with improved thermal stability, realized using the point-by-point fusion-splicing technique between a silica fiber taper and a piece of Er-doped fluoride gain fiber. The developed combiner exhibits a high coupling efficiency of ∼90%, supporting highly-stable operation at an incident pump power of up to 60 W. Using this combiner, we constructed a continuous-wave mid-infrared fiber laser which can deliver stably 4 W output power at 2.8 µm without using active cooling system. At this lasing power, the maximum input pump power is limited to 20 W to prevent fiber end-facet degradation, which can be further improved with the use of endcaps. This remarkable thermal stability renders the combiner great application potentials in constructing compact, robust, high-power fiber lasers at mid-infrared wavelengths.

Cutting speed and behaviors of ice using Yb-doped fiber laser

The use of a laser to cut or drill ice has been proposed and demonstrated multiple times in previous decades as a novel, but never adopted, machining tool in glaciology and paleoclimate studies. However, with the rapid development of high power fiber-laser technology over the past few decades, it is timely to perform further studies using this new tool. An investigation is made herein on the cutting of ice using a Yb-doped fiber laser emitting at a wavelength of 1070 nm, the most extensively developed and highest power fiber laser technology, in pulsed and continuous-wave operation. Visible-light observations of clear tap water ice samples, moving at a constant velocity relative to a pulsed laser beam, demonstrate a linear relationship between the duration of a millisecond-range laser pulse and the depth of the meltwater-free cut formed in response. Thermal imaging of the irradiated face shows that peripheral heating trends linearly for pulse lengths greater than 5 ms. A comparison of pulse trains with a constant time-averaged power suggests that shorter pulses are advantageous in slot-cutting efficiency and in minimizing visible alterations in the surrounding ice. These results demonstrate the viability of powerful fiber-compatible lasers as a tool for ice sample retrieval and processing.

High-power fiber laser incident beam absorptivity variation of molten pool surfaces during their solid-liquid-gas state evolution

The thermal and ablation effects of lasers are widely used in laser additive manufacturing, laser welding, laser cleaning, and laser cladding technologies. Absorptivity is the core index of laser beam-thermal energy conversion efficiency. This paper analyzed the irradiated material's absorption behavior during the solid-liquid-gas evolution of laser-ablated metal surfaces by comparing the temperature fields and the corresponding weld cross-sections for different laser action periods, considering the fusion and vaporization latent heats. The solid-liquid-gas state evolution of high-power fiber laser-irradiated metal surfaces occurs during several milliseconds, with a short solid-phase existence period, since fusion or melting time is much shorter than the vaporization time. As the solid-liquid-gas state evolves, the average absorptivity and the share of thermal conduction energy loss decrease with the laser action time, while the fusion energy loss gradually increases. The solid-phase surface of the metal in laser processing absorbs significantly more incident laser energy than the liquid-phase one. The longer the solid-phase occurrence period of the metal surface during the laser action, the greater its average absorptivity of the incident laser. By increasing the laser spot area and scanning rate, the solid-phase period of the laser-irradiated metal surface can be increased, improving its incident laser absorptivity.

Realizing a kilowatt-level fiber amplifier with a 42 μm core diameter fiber for improved multi-mode performance towards single mode operation output through adaptive spatial mode control utilizing a 3×1 photonic lantern

The photonic lantern, a coherent beam combiner capable of controlling the phase, amplitude, and polarization of input light, has been utilized to enhance the brightness of fiber lasers by managing the output beam’s mode. In this work, a 3×1 photonic lantern-based adaptive spatial mode control system is employed to realize kilowatt-level operation in a 42 μm core fiber laser amplifier. Both simulation and experimental outcomes affirm the ability of this approach to manage modes within large-mode-area fiber laser systems through the use of 3 input arms. The experiment not only streamlines the overall system design but also has the potential to reduce production costs and complexities. Additionally, the spectrum width has been optimized to 10 GHz, striking a balance between the SBS threshold and the coherence of the photonic lantern’s input arms. By implementing this system, we have successfully achieved a stable, improved multi-mode performance towards single mode operation output of 1.08 kW, with a beam quality factor M2 of 2.20. This research furthers our understanding of how photonic lanterns can stabilize and enhance beam quality in high-power fiber lasers, paving the way for potential improvements in their performance and applications.

A Fast Solution of the Dynamic Rate Equation for a High-Power Fiber Laser

In the study of dynamic behaviors, such as nonlinear effects, power evolution, and pulse evolution of light in fiber gain media, solving dynamic rate equations in fiber laser systems is involved, which is computationally intensive and directly affects overall computational efficiency. A modified difference scheme is proposed to solve fiber dynamic rate equations efficiently. The advantages of the improved scheme and its convergence rate are analyzed. By incorporating a correction coefficient into the finite difference, the approximations of spatial and temporal derivatives are improved, greatly enhancing the performance of the numerical method. The computational results of the proposed method are compared with those of the conventional upwind difference scheme, demonstrating that the improved method is more stable and requires fewer sampling points to maintain a certain level of precision, thereby saving significant computation time and computational resources. The power and spectral evolutions of the fiber laser oscillator under different pump conditions are simulated and compared with experimental data, validating the applicability and reliability of the rapid solving method.