We have numerically compared the performance of various designs for the core refractive-index (RI) and rare-earth-dopant distributions of large-mode-area fibers for use in bend-loss-filtered, high-power amplifiers. We first established quantitative targets for the key parameters that determine fiber-amplifier performance, including effective LP₀₁ modal area (A_eff, both straight and coiled), bend sensitivity (for handling and packaging), high-order mode discrimination, mode-field displacement upon coiling, and index contrast (manufacturability). We compared design families based on various power-law and hybrid profiles for the RI and evaluated confined rare-earth doping for hybrid profiles. Step-index fibers with straight-fiber A_eff values > 1000 &mgr;m² exhibit large decreases in A_eff and transverse mode-field displacements upon coiling, in agreement with recent calculations of Hadley et al. [Proc. of SPIE, Vol. 6102, 61021S (2006)] and Fini [Opt. Exp. 14, 69 (2006)]. Triangular-profile fibers substantially mitigate these effects, but suffer from excessive bend sensitivity at A_eff values of interest. Square-law (parabolic) profile fibers are free of modal distortion but are hampered by high bend sensitivity (although to a lesser degree than triangular profiles) and exhibit the largest mode displacements. We find that hybrid (combined power-law) profiles provide some decoupling of these tradeoffs and allow all design goals to be achieved simultaneously. We present optimized fiber designs based on this analysis.

Date Published: 22 February 2007
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 6453, Fiber Lasers IV: Technology, Systems, and Applications, 64531C (22 February 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.701594

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6453:
Fiber Lasers IV: Technology, Systems, and Applications
Donald J. Harter; Andreas Tünnermann; Jes Broeng; Clifford Headley, Editor(s)