High Efficiency Gain Media for Eye-Safer 1.55 µm Ultrafast Fiber Amplifiers

We propose to design a high average power Er:Fiber ultrafast laser system which is pumped at 14xxnm, and at the same time solve other problems related to ultrashort pulses in fiber lasers. The advantage of using 14xxnm pumping is the reduction of the standard quantum defect from 37% to 5%, thus greatly reducing the thermal load on the system, which makes it inherently more efficient. We also intend to construct an Er:fiber oscillator based on a new potentially rugged modelocking mechanism, which includes the positive dispersion regime known to reduce adverse non-linear effects in the gain medium. From this, and research into new fiber materials (Nufern), we will design a full amplified ultrafast laser system for implementation in Phase II.