We have demonstrated a high-power and high-efficiency erbium:ytterbium (Er:Yb) co-doped fiber laser that produces 297 W of continuous-wave output at 1567 nm. The slope efficiency with respect to the launched pump power changed from 40% to 19% at higher output power due to the onset of Yb co-lasing at 1067 nm. However, the Yb co-lasing was essential for the suppression of catastrophic pulsation at high pump powers that otherwise results if the Ybband gain is allowed to build up. Spectroscopic characteristics of the fiber and the impact of the Yb co-lasing on the 1567 nm slope efficiency are also discussed.

The III–V compound semiconductors exhibit superb electronic and optoelectronic properties. Traditionally, closely lattice-matched epitaxial substrates have been required for the growth of high-quality single-crystal III–V thin films and patterned microstructures. To remove this materials constraint, here we introduce a growth mode that enables direct writing of single-crystalline III–V's on amorphous substrates, thus further expanding their utility for various applications. The process utilizes templated liquid-phase crystal growth that results in user-tunable, patterned micro and nanostructures of single-crystalline III–V's of up to tens of micrometres in lateral dimensions. InP is chosen as a model material system owing to its technological importance. The patterned InP single crystals are configured as high-performance transistors and photodetectors directly on amorphous SiO2 growth substrates, with performance matching state-of-the-art epitaxially grown devices. The work presents an important advance towards universal integration of III–V's on application-specific substrates by direct growth.

COMMUNICATIONAlexander Katz et al. Nanoporous gold assemblies of calixarene-phosphine-capped colloids