Development of a high-pulse-energy Q-switched Tm-doped double-clad fluoride fiber laser and its application to the pumping of mid-IR lasers

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A diode-pumped Q-switched Tm-doped double-clad fluoride fiber laser is reported providing up to 90 microJ pulse energy (160 ns, 100 kHz, i.e., 9 W of average power). The dependence of the fiber laser's repetition rate on pump power and modulator repetition rate was investigated. By amplification even higher pulse energies of 410 microJ could be generated. In a second stage of the setup the Q-switched fiber laser serves as a pump for a gain-switched tunable Cr2+:ZnSe laser. The pulse energies reported are to the author's knowledge the highest generated by Tm-doped fluoride fiber lasers or amplifiers today.