title: Mode instability in high power fiber amplifiers.
abstract: For powers exceeding a sharp threshold in the vicinity of several hundred watts the beam quality from some narrow bandwidth fiber amplifiers is severely degraded. We show that this can be caused by transverse thermal gradients induced by the amplification process.
authors.affiliation: AS-Photonics, LLC, 8500 Menaul Blvd. NE, Suite B335, Albuquerque, NM 87112, USA. arlee.smith@as-photonics.com
authors.forename: Arlee V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jesse J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Smith