PASSIVELY Q-SWITCHED YTTERBIUM-DOPED FIBER LASER EMPLOYING SAMARIUM OXIDE AS SATURABLE ABSORBER

The rapid developments in transition metal dichalcogenide materials as saturable absorbers (SAs) have been reported to be efficient materials for generating Q-switched fiber lasers. In this paper, we report on the use of samarium oxide (Sm2O3) saturable absorber (SA) for 1-micron Q-switched fiber laser generation. The Sm2O3 thin film SA was constructed in-house through which the Sm2O3 powder was mixed and stirred in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution. It was then integrated into the ytterbium-doped fiber laser (YDFL) ring cavity, hence producing a sequence of Q-switched pulsed lasers at 1062.49 nm wavelength. The stable pulse train appeared from 69.97 to 111.1 kHz between the applied pump power of 57 mW to 96 mW. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 38.56 dB was recorded at the 57 mW pump power, whereas the pulse energy raised until 15.21 nJ at 96 mW. These results showed that the Sm2O3 could be a favourable SA material to iniatiate Q-switched ytterbium-doped pulsed fiber laser.