For the first time, an electronically-controlled, wavelength-agile tuneable holmium-doped fibre laser is presented. A narrow-band acousto-optic tuneable filter was characterized and used as the wavelength selective element to avoid any inertial effects associated with opto-mechanical tuning mechanisms. We demonstrate operation over a 90 nm wavelength range spanning 2040 – 2130 nm. The laser produced >150 mW over this entire range with a signal-to-noise ratio of >45 dB and line-width of ~0.16 nm. Switching times of ~35 μs and sweep rates of up to 9 nm/ms were also demonstrated.

Date Published: 9 March 2016
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 9728, Fiber Lasers XIII: Technology, Systems, and Applications, 97280Q (9 March 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2210880

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9728:
Fiber Lasers XIII: Technology, Systems, and Applications
John Ballato, Editor(s)