High-power 83 W holmium-doped silica fiber laser operating with high beam quality

A high-power 83W cladding-pumped Tm3+-Ho3+-doped silica fiber laser is reported. Using bidirectional 793 nm diode pumping, a maximum slope efficiency of 42% was produced after a threshold launched pump power of 12 W was exceeded. The laser operated at wavelengths near 2105 mn with moderate beam quality, i.e., M-2 similar to 1.5. Further power scaling of the fiber laser was limited by thermal failure of the fiber ends. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.