Optical-power tunable dual-wavelength laser around 1 μm in Nd 3+ /Yb 3+ co-doped phosphate glass fiber

This work reports the generation of an optical-power tunable 1 μm dual-wavelength fiber laser in Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped phosphate glass fiber under 970 nm and 808 nm laser diode pumping. A bidirectional free-space pump laser setup was adopted. An optical-power tunable dual-wavelength laser can be easily realized by the control of 808 nm pump power magnitude. Based on a series of laser tests under different pump conditions and theoretical calculation of the Nd3+→Yb3+ energy transfer efficiency, the control mechanism was found to be the stimulated emission modulation of Nd3+ on Yb3+ lasing. This property is helpful to enhance the knowledge of the Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doping system.