All-fiber single-mode PM thulium fiber lasers using femtosecond laser written fiber Bragg gratings

A polarization-maintaining (PM), narrow-linewidth, continuous wave, thulium fiber laser is demonstrated. The laser cavity is formed from two femtosecond-laser-written fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and operates at 2054 nm. The laser output possesses both narrow spectral width (78 pm) and a high polarization extinction ratio of ~18 dB at 5.24 W of output power. This laser is a unique demonstration of a PM thulium fiber system based on a two FBG cavity that produces high PER without any free-space elements. Such a narrow linewidth source will be useful for applications such as spectral beam combining which often employ polarization dependent combining elements.