title: Phase locking and supermode selection in multicore photonic crystal fiber lasers with a large doped area.
abstract: We report on the laser properties of multicore photonic crystal fiber lasers. A stable phase locking of six- and seven-core structures through evanescent coupling is observed. Effective supermode selection is obtained by using both diffraction losses and the Talbot effect. A pure in-phase supermode is obtained (1.1 times diffraction limited). The laser operating in this mode has a slope efficiency of 70% with up to 44 W of output power. The modal area of the in-phase supermode multicore fiber is 1150 microm2, which makes it, to our knowledge, the single-mode fiber laser with the largest mode field area. In-phase laser action is stable when the fiber is bent.
authors.affiliation: QinetiQ Malvern, St. Andrews Road, WR14 3PS Great Malvern, UK. lfmichaille@qinetiq.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michaille
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Broeng
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petersson