We report on the use of OH diffusion barrier coatings to suppress fiber tip degradation in high-power 3 μm fiber lasers. To this extent, silicon nitride thin-films are sputtered on the endface of a 20 W erbium-doped fluoride fiber laser at 2.83 μm. By monitoring the temperature evolution of the output fiber tip over a 24 hour time period, we validate the effectiveness of silicon nitride thin films in mitigating fiber tip degradation. These results, along with previous demonstrations, underline the potential of 3 μm fiber lasers to reach 100 W of output power in the near future.

Date Published: 11 March 2020
PDF
Proc. SPIE 11260, Fiber Lasers XVII: Technology and Systems, 112601O (11 March 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2544504

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 11260:
Fiber Lasers XVII: Technology and Systems
Liang Dong, Editor(s)