Temperature effects of an all-fiber polarization maintaining Ytterbium optical amplifier

An overview of recent fiber based component developments is presented that lead to robust all-fiber lasers and optical amplifiers. Critical issues impacting the integration of high power rare earth doped optical amplifiers are presented. The optical performance of key fiber components is reported with emphasis on temperature effects of a monolithically integrated multi-Watt, single mode, Polarization Maintaining (PM), Ytterbium (Yb) doped double clad optical amplifier. Performance of an all-fiber optical amplifier design that integrates two fiber coupled laser diode pumps and one PM Yb double clad feed through fiber directly in to a combiner is reported.