63 W wing-pumped Tm:YAG single-crystal fiber laser

We present a high-power continuous-wave (CW) Tm:YAG single-crystal fiber (SCF) laser wing-pumped by laser diodes at 791 nm. A maximum output power of 63.3 W is achieved at similar to 2.01 mu m, corresponding to a slope efficiency of 34.2%. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest power obtained from the SCF laser in the 2 mu m spectral range. In addition to the wing pumping scheme, the large surface-to-volume ratio of such fiber-geometry crystalline rod with diffusion-bonded undoped YAG end caps are benefited for the spatial uniform distribution of pump intensity and thermal load, and thus improving the power scalability. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

In this study, a high-power continuous-wave Tm:YAG single-crystal fiber laser pumped by laser diodes at 791 nm was presented. The laser achieved a maximum output power of 63.3 W at a wavelength of around 2.01 μm, with a slope efficiency of 34.2%. The use of the wing pumping scheme and the specific structure of the crystal rod enabled uniform distribution of pump intensity and thermal load, improving power scalability.