Experimental study and theoretical modeling of a self-Q-switched all-fiber Erbium laser

A self-Q-switched diode-pumped Erbium fiber laser is implemented in an all-fiber configuration. The laser operates in a stable regime of giant pulses in a broad range of pump powers and does not require additional intra-cavity elements except the active fiber and fiber Bragg gratings as output couplers. A modeling of the laser is developed, implying that the mechanism of self-Q-switching is the power-dependent thermo-induced lensing in Erbium active fiber that stems from the excited-state absorption at the laser wavelength.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.