1212 nm pumping of 2 μm Tm-Ho-codoped silica fiber laser

A Tm-Ho-codoped silica fiber laser pumped by a third-stokes Raman Fiber Laser at 1212 nm is demonstrated. For the 30-cm-long Tm-Ho-codoped fiber, a 400 mW output power is obtained at a wavelength of 1790 nm due to the laser emission from the Tm3+ ions. For the 270-cm-long Tm-Ho-codoped fiber, a 450 mW output power is obtained at 1970 nm due to the laser emission from Ho3+ ions. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.