Reuters UK University of Bath researchers developed a new type of lasers, can achieve 3.1 m to the infrared band output of 3.2 m, laser developers long break dilemma. They said that this success will promote the new development of application in infrared laser spectroscopy, for example, environmental monitoring and explosive detection etc..
The gas and Optical fiber Laser combined with appropriate gas in hollow fiber, researchers developed a model of infrared optical fiber gas laser output. One of the leaders of the research team, William Wadsworth said: "more than 2.8 micron, the traditional fiber laser power began to decline. The other major infrared laser technology, quantum cascade lasers for more than 3.5 m have a response."
The key to success lies in the laser, the researchers successfully developed silica hollow fiber, especially suitable for mid infrared band. It is reported that the optical fiber can be seen long and thin bubble Glass . By setting the bubble in the fiber near the center, the reflection will be trapped in the hollow fiber. Because of the light transmission in hollow fiber, the remaining part of the hollow fiber, which overcomes the silica glass for more than 2.8 micron light absorption characteristics.
The researchers believe that their model of hollow fiber can be used for the development of new fiber laser. The researchers used acetylene gas, mainly because of its radiation in the infrared band, and can be used in general laser pumping. Hollow fiber can trap the optical fiber, the interaction between the gas and for the same position in the long distance, usually distance up to 10 meters or 11 meters.
University of Bath researchers have successfully demonstrated before gas fiber interaction can provide infrared radiation. In the new work, the researchers added feedback fiber, so that it can become a real laser. The feedback fiber can extract a small amount of light for excitation a light amplification cycle, thereby reducing the resulting laser beam pumping power. An important advantage of this design is the use of diode laser for mature communication, strong practicability, low cost and can provide high power. The researchers plan to enhance the pumping power for lifting power fiber gas laser.
The researchers said that some other gas can be used as the optical fiber gas laser, but the reality is as high as 5 m wavelength output. Muhammad Rosdi Abu Hassan said, this is just one of the use of hollow fiber lasers. It will encourage the interaction between other hollow fiber and application of different types of laser beam and gas, to obtain the desired work wavelength .
