title: Actively Q-switched all-fiber laser with an electrically controlled microstructured fiber.
abstract: Actively Q-switching of an all-fiber laser system is demonstrated. The active element is a polarization switch with nanosecond risetime based on a microstructured fiber with electrically driven internal electrodes. Optical feedback between two 100% reflectors is inhibited until a nanosecond current pulse Q-switches the laser. After a short optical pulse develops several roundtrips later, the fiber switch is turned off, removing the short optical pulse from the cavity through a polarization splitter. Pulses of 50 W peak power and approximately 12 ns duration are obtained with 400 mW pump power at 100 Hz.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Roslagstullbacken 2, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Zhangwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Tarasenko
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Margulis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laurell
mesh_terms: D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D008904:Miniaturization; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*