High Power WDM Based Upon Mode Coupling

ABSTRACT: AdValue Photonics and University of Arizona propose to demonstrate the capability of fabricating wavelength division multiplexers (WDM) for high-power fiber laser applications. It is based on AdValue Photonics"unique fused fiber technology using large-mode-area (LMA) fibers. Both polarization-maintaining (PM) and non-PM LMA fiber WDMs will be fabricated. By the end of Phase I, two prototype units will be delivered to Air Force for test evaluation, which will expect to be able to handle 100W CW power at 1 & #61549;m. In the Phase II, power handling capacity of the proposed large-mode-area fiber-based WDM will be further increased by using pre-treated fibers. BENEFIT: High power fiber laser systems are usually limited by the unavailability of highly-reliable fiber-optic devices with high power handling capacity (>100W). High power WDM is an enabling device for some core-pumped applications, such as high-power Raman fiber lasers and amplifiers, two tone seeded lasers, all-fiber spectral laser beam combining, etc. It is not available on the current market. Our proposed technology will make it possible to commercialize the first kind of large-mode-area fiber based WDMs on the market, which are expecting to be very useful for high-power fiber laser applications.