KEYWORDS: Transverse mode instability, Multimode fibers, Wavefronts, Simulations, Laser systems engineering, High power fiber lasers, Gaussian beams, Gain switching, Fiber amplifiers, Complex systems
By coherently seeding a multimode fiber amplifier with a tailored spatial wavefront, it is possible to generate the target output profile in the presence of thermo-optical nonlinearity and gain saturation. We prove numerically that such wavefront exists with a modified phase-conjugation approach. An optical beam with target profile and power is launched from the distal end to proximal end of a multimode waveguide with absorption, and the exiting wavefront is phase-conjugated and sent back to the waveguide with loss switched to gain of equal magnitude. The target output beam is obtained with enhanced threshold for transverse mode instability due to multimode excitation.
We experimentally demonstrate a single-frequency Yb-doped multimode fiber amplifier (~76 modes) with a focused Gaussian output beam and enhanced stimulated-Brillouin-scattering (SBS) threshold. With few-mode excitation, the SBS threshold output power (57 W) is already an order of magnitude higher than that for a single-mode fiber amplifier of the same length. The output beam, however, is slightly speckled. To achieve high beam quality, we optimize the input wavefront to focus output light to a single diffraction-limited spot and simultaneously achieve much higher SBS threshold (up to 105 W), because forming a tight output focus requires coherent amplification of many modes.
Multimode fibers provide a promising platform to efficiently suppress Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) by controlling input excitation. We demonstrate SBS suppression can be formulated as a problem of optimization of the input power distribution among the fiber modes. We provide a method to obtain the optimal power distribution based on linear programming. The SBS growth rate depends linearly on the input power distribution, allowing us to map SBS suppression into a constrained linear optimization, solvable numerically. We show that for a highly multimode step index fiber, optimal input excitation gives 9.5 times higher SBS threshold compared to fundamental mode-only excitation.
Transverse Mode Instability (TMI) is one of several nonlinear effects that limit power scaling in high power fiber lasers and amplifiers. We demonstrate that TMI can be effectively suppressed by spreading power in multiple modes of the fiber. We show that the TMI threshold scales linearly with the number of modes, upon equal excitation of modes, caused by smearing of thermally induced refractive index grating. The multimode excitation can be focused to a diffraction limited spot, giving high quality beam with increased TMI threshold. We finally show linear scaling of TMI threshold is maintained upon inclusion of gain saturation.
Significance: Monitoring the movement and vital signs of patients in hospitals and other healthcare environments is a significant burden on healthcare staff. Early warning systems using smart bed sensors hold promise to relieve this burden and improve patient outcomes. We propose a scalable and cost-effective optical fiber sensor array that can be embedded into a mattress to detect movement, both sensitively and spatially.
Aim: Proof-of-concept demonstration that a multimode optical fiber (MMF) specklegram sensor array can be used to detect and image movement on a bed.
Approach: Seven MMFs are attached to the upper surface of a mattress such that they cross in a 3 × 4 array. The specklegram output is monitored using a single laser and single camera and movement on the fibers is monitored by calculating a rolling zero-normalized cross-correlation. A 3 × 4 image is formed by comparing the signal at each crossing point between two fibers.
Results: The MMF sensor array can detect and image movement on a bed, including getting on and off the bed, rolling on the bed, and breathing.
Conclusions: The sensor array shows a high sensitivity to movement, which can be used for monitoring physiological parameters and patient movement for potential applications in healthcare settings.
Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) provides a major limitation on power scaling in high power fiber lasers and amplifiers. Using wavefront shaping in highly multimode fibers provides a promising avenue to suppress SBS while maintaining good beam quality. We present here a generalized theory for SBS in multimode fiber amplifiers. We find the Stokes susceptibility in terms of eigenmode expansions of the vector optical and acoustic wave equations. An analytical form of the relevant gain matrix is obtained in terms of modal overlap integrals. We will discuss wavefront shaping strategies to suppress SBS based on the properties of the gain matrix.
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