Optical-fiber laser amplifier for ultrahigh-speed communications

摘要

This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The project objective was to develop a praseodymium-based 1.31-(mu)m fiber amplifier that can be optically pumped with off-the-shelf semiconductor diode lasers. Development of optical amplifiers for the 1.31-(mu)m communications window is motivated by the push towards ''all-optical'' networks that will support multigigabits per second communication rates. Our approach exploited radiationless energy transfer from optically pumped Yb(sup 3+) ions co-doped with Pr(sup 3+) into a fluorozirconate glass (ZBLAN). We obtained a gain of approximately 10 on a 1.31-(mu)m amplifier, a value too low for practical applications. In two spin- off applications, all-solid-state operation at all four output wavelengths was achieved in the development of a four-color visible laser, and laser cooling of a solid material was demonstrated for the first time in the development of a fluorescent cryogenic refrigerator.