Theoretical modeling and experiments on a DBR waveguide laser fabricated by the femtosecond laser direct-write technique.
We present a model for a Yb-doped distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) waveguide laser fabricated in phosphate glass using the femtosecond laser direct-write technique. The model gives emphasis to transverse integrals to investigate the energy distribution in a homogenously doped glass, which is an important feature of femtosecond laser inscribed waveguide lasers (WGLs). The model was validated with experiments comparing a DBR WGL and a fiber laser, and then used to study the influence of distributed rare earth dopants on the performance of such lasers. Approximately 15% of the pump power was absorbed by the doped "cladding" in the femtosecond laser inscribed Yb doped WGL case with the length of 9.8 mm. Finally, we used the model to determine the parameters that optimize the laser output such as the waveguide length, output coupler reflectivity and refractive index contrast.
MQ Photonics Research Centre, Centre for Ultrahigh bandwidth Devices for Optical Systems (CUDOS), Department of Physics & Astronomy, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia. yuwen.duan@mq.edu.au
Yuwen
Y
Duan
Aaron
A
McKay
Nemanja
N
Jovanovic
Martin
M
Ams
Graham D
GD
Marshall
M J
MJ
Steel
Michael J
MJ
Withford
D003198:Computer Simulation; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D008956:Models, Chemical; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000528:radiation effects