A Taper-Fused Microspherical Laser Source

We report on the realization of an integrated lasing device consisting of a microsphere optical resonator fused to a tapered optical fiber. A microsphere fabricated from Er: Yb-codoped phosphate glass is heated above its glass transition temperature of 375degC by pumping it at 977 nm with 70 mW via...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE photonics technology letters 2008-03, Vol.20 (6), p.392-394
Main Authors: Ward, J.M., Feron, P., Chormaic, S.N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Erbium
Erbium-ytterbium phosphate glass
Fiber lasers
Glass
Heat pumps
Laser transitions
Lasers
Lasing
Melting
microsphere resonator
Microspheres
Optical fibers
Optical pumping
Optical resonators
Optics
Physics
Pump lasers
tapered fiber
Temperature
Thermal stresses
Whispering gallery modes
whispering gallery modes (WGMs)
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Summary:We report on the realization of an integrated lasing device consisting of a microsphere optical resonator fused to a tapered optical fiber. A microsphere fabricated from Er: Yb-codoped phosphate glass is heated above its glass transition temperature of 375degC by pumping it at 977 nm with 70 mW via a tapered optical fiber. The onset of thermal stress in the glass at a maximum pumping power results in the sphere melting and fusing to the taper coupler, without inhibition of whispering gallery mode lasing. A taper-fused microsphere laser with ~4.5 mu W of lasing power at 1593 nm is demonstrated.
ISSN:1041-1135
1941-0174
DOI:10.1109/LPT.2008.916904