High Power Ultranarrow Linewidth Picosecond Laser System Based on Tapered Fiber Amplifier and Gain-Switched DFB Laser Diode

We experimentally demonstrate the highest spectral brightness for the pulsed fiber lasers to the best of our knowledge in a compact high power and pulse energy laser system consisting of a DFB laser diode as a master oscillator and a high-power fiber amplifier based on a double-clad active tapered fiber (T-DCF). Due to the unique properties of T-DCF, this system provides more than 1 MW of peak power and pulse energy of more than 60 μJ at a frequency of 500 kHz while maintaining a spectral width of less than 0.1 nm. The spectrum broadening limits the further power scaling of the laser system. The system is capable of delivering up to 150 W average power at 10 MHz pulse repetition rate with 0.14 nm linewidth. We also demonstrate the second harmonic generation of 532 nm with over 30 W at 10 MHz repetition rate and 14.5 W at 500 kHz. The experimental results reveals that the narrow linewidth system based on a DFB laser diode and a T-DCF amplifier is an excellent and robust solution for material processing and Raman spectroscopy.