Photodarkening resistant optical fibers and fiber lasers incorporating the same

• Main Authors: WANG, JI, GRAY, STUART, LI, SHEN-PING
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 01.09.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GLASSES, GLAZES, OR VITREOUSENAMELS; CHEMISTRY; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION; ELECTRICITY; GLASS; JOINING GLASS TO GLASS OR OTHER MATERIALS; MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF FIBRES OR FILAMENTS MADE FROM GLASS,MINERALS OR SLAGS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF GLASS

Photodarkening resistant optical fiber lasing media and fiber lasers incorporating the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber lasing medium includes a core portion formed from silica-based glass comprising a rare-earth dopant and deuterium, the core portion having an index of refraction nc, a numerical aperture NAc. A concentration of defect color centers in the core portion is less than 1x1016/cm3. Deuterium is combined with the defect color centers to form reacted defect color centers that do not absorb ultraviolet and visible wavelengths of light. A first cladding portion is formed from silica-based glass, the first cladding portion surrounding and directly contacting the core portion and having an index of refraction n1, wherein the index of refraction n1 of the first cladding portion is less than the index of refraction nc of the core portion. Methods of forming the photodarkening resistant optical fiber lasing media are also disclosed.