Numerical analysis and experimental results of output performance for Nd-doped double-clad fiber lasers

Numerical analysis is investigated for the high-power double-clad fiber lasers and experimental results using different microscope objectives for focusing into a Nd-doped rectangular double-clad fiber also performed. The numerical analysis includes dependence of output power on output mirror reflectivity, absorbed pump power, loss, and fiber length and pump power distribution for the cases of one-end and two-end pumps with 20 dB/km loss. Calculated conversion efficiencies are 76.36%, 69.73%, and 63.84% for lossless, two-end pump, and one-end pump fiber lasers, respectively. Slope efficiencies from absorbed pump power/output powers measured using microscope objectives are 16.8%/182 mW, 53.8%/351 mW, 24.9%/1240 mW, and 13.9%/649 mW for magnifications of 5 x, 10 x, 20 x, and 40 x, respectively. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.