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We demonstrate for the first time an optically pumped gas laser based on population inversion using a hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF). The HC-PCF filled with 12C2H2 gas is pumped with ~5 ns pulses at 1.52 μm and lases at 3.12 μm and 3.16 μm in the mid-infrared spectral region. The maximum measured laser pulse energy of ~6 nJ was obtained at a gas pressure of 7 torr with a fiber with 20 dB/m loss near the lasing wavelengths. While the measured slope efficiencies of this prototype did not exceed a few percent due mainly to linear losses of the fiber at the laser wavelengths, 25% slope efficiency and pulse energies of a few mJ are the predicted limits of this laser. Simulations of the laser's behavior agree qualitatively with experimental observations.

International audienceThe development of hollow core photonic crystal fibers with low losses over a broad spectral region in the near IR enabled the demonstration of a novel laser type - Hollow-core Optical Fiber Gas Laser (HOFGLAS). The laser combines attractive features of fiber lasers such as compactness and long interaction length of pump and laser radiation with those of gas lasers such as the potential for high output power and narrow line width. This paper summarizes recent developments and describes the demonstration of C2H2 and HCN prototype lasers. Avenues to extend laser emission further into the IR are discussed

Lasing of HCN and C(2)H(2) in the 3-micron region was demonstrated with a ns pump emitting in the telecommunication C band (1.5 micron region). The observed laser lines correspond to transitions from the terminal pump vibration-rotation state to a combination vibrational state.

International audienceWe have now demonstrated and characterized gas-filled hollow-core fiber lasers based on population inversion from acetylene (12C2H2) and HCN gas contained within the core of a kagome-structured hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. The gases are optically pumped via first order rotational-vibrational overtones near 1.5 μm using 1-ns pulses from an optical parametric amplifier. Transitions from the pumped overtone modes to fundamental C-H stretching modes in both molecules create narrow-band laser emissions near 3 μm. High gain resulting from tight confinement of the pump and laser light together with the active gas permits us to operate these lasers in a single pass configuration, without the use of any external resonator structure. A delay between the emitted laser pulse and the incident pump pulse has been observed and is shown to vary with pump pulse energy and gas pressure. Furthermore, we have demonstrated lasing beyond 4 μm from CO and CO2 using silver-coated glass capillaries, since fused silica based fibers do not transmit in this spectral region and chalcogenide fibers are not yet readily available. Studies of the laser pulse energy as functions of the pump pulse energy and gas pressure were performed. Efficiencies reaching ~ 20% are observed for both acetylene and CO2