4.5 W mid-infrared light source based on acetylene-filled hollow-core fibers

We report here the characteristics of a continuous wave (CW) high-power mid-infrared (mid-IR) light source based on acetylene-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber (HCF). It is a single-pass configuration with 8 m HCFs, pumped by a high power erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA). At the optimal gradient gas pressure of 3 mbar, a maximum power of 4.5 W at 3.1 mu m is achieved, and the power conversion efficiency is - 20% with respect to the absorbed pump power. It is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest output power for such mid-IR HCF lasers. This work demonstrate the great potential of fiber gas lasers for high-power output in the mid-IR.

Automated summary

We present the characteristics of a continuous wave high-power mid-infrared light source based on acetylene-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber. A maximum power of 4.5W at 3.1μm is achieved at the optimal gas pressure of 3mbar, which is the highest output power reported for mid-IR HCF lasers to date. This work demonstrates the great potential of fiber gas lasers for high-power output in the mid-IR.