Tunable Single Frequency Fiber Laser for Fiber Optic Sensor Systems

In this proposal, we propose to demonstrate and build a widely tunable, low phase noise, narrow linewidth, single frequency fiber laser by developing an innovative Er/Yb-co-doped polarization maintaining (PM) single mode fiber. Such a fiber laser is needed for advanced fiber optical towed array sonar systems. In Phase I, we will design and fabricate this new fiber, demonstrate fixed wavelength low phase noise narrow linewidth single frequency fiber laser with linewidth of less than 3KHz, demonstrate wavelength tuning range of greater than 20nm, and conduct an analysis on the reliability and maintainability benefit of this proposed technology over current fixed frequency low noise laser. Successful demonstration of such a fiber laser will enable many new commercial and military applications.