We demonstrate the use of a pulsed superluminescent diode (SLD) through direct current injection modulation as seeding source in a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) configuration when compared to a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser diode in the same system. The performance limitations imposed by the use of the Fabry-Perot lasers, caused by the backward high peak power pulses triggered due to stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) are not observed in the case of the SLD. Compared to conventional Fabry–Perot laser diodes, the SLD provides a smooth and broad output spectrum which is independent of the input pulse parameters. Moreover, the spectrum can be sliced and tailored to the application. Thus, free SBS operation is shown when using the SLD seeder in the same system, allowing for a significant increase on the extractable power and energy.

Date Published: 4 March 2015
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9344, Fiber Lasers XII: Technology, Systems, and Applications, 93440I (4 March 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2079356

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9344:
Fiber Lasers XII: Technology, Systems, and Applications
L. Brandon Shaw, Editor(s)