Low threshold fiber taper coupled rare earth ion-doped chalcogenide microsphere laser

Abstract

We report the applications of a low-cost and environmentally friendly chalcogenide glass, 75GeS2-15Ga2S3-10CsI, in building active microsphere laser oscillators. A silica fiber taper is used as the coupling mechanism. With an 808-nm laser diode as a pump source, we show that a high-Q (∼ 6×104) laser mode could be obtained from a 75-μm diameter microsphere that is coupled with a 1.77-μm waist-diameter fiber taper. The threshold of the incident pump power is 1.39 mW, which is considerably lower than those of previously reported free-space coupled chalcogenide microsphere lasers. We also note an apparent enhancement in laser power generated from this chalcogenide microsphere laser.

Comprehensive review of advances in the field of chalcogenide glass microresonators

“…have fabricated 75GeS 2 –15Ga 2 S 3 –10CsI doped with .5‐wt% Nd 2 S 3 ChG microsphere laser operating in the NIR spectral range. They fabricated microspheres with the diameter ranging from 50 to 150 µm via the method mentioned earlier and obtained high Q ∼ 6 × 10 4 laser mode from a 75 µm diameter microsphere with a threshold pump power of 1.39 mW 52 . Yang et al.…”

“…They fabricated microspheres with the diameter ranging from 50 to 150 µm via the method mentioned earlier and obtained high Q ∼ 6 × 10 4 laser mode from a 75 µm diameter microsphere with a threshold pump power of 1.39 mW. 52 Yang et al fabricated Tm 3+ :Ge-Ga-Sb-S (2S2G) ChG microspheres with diameters ranging from 50 to 200 µm via the droplet sphere-forming method. 2S2G glasses are preferred over As-based glasses due to low toxicity and flexible doping.…”

Compound Glass Microsphere Resonator Devices

“…Heavy metal oxide glasses have better physical-chemical characteristics and preparation processes than chalcogenide glasses, while chalcogenide glasses have lower phonon energy and probability of multiple phonon relaxation compared with oxide glasses; chalcogenide glasses are also very suitable as host materials for rare earth doping. In particular, chalcogenide glasses have a wide infrared transmission window, and have received much attention as a material for MIR emission [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

Compound Glass Microsphere Resonator Devices

“…In particular, chalcogenide glasses have a wide infrared transmission window, and have received much attention as a material for MIR emission [18][19][20][21][22].…”