Patent ID: 11876337
Assignee: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A solid state laser comprising:
a pump source, the pump source comprising an optical pump and an all solid, single mode photonic bandgap fiber (PBF) in optical communication with the optical pump, the PBF comprising:
i) a core having a first cross-sectional dimension of about 20 micrometers or greater, the core comprising a gain medium capable of operating as a 4-level system having a first emission wavelength and also as a competing 3-level system having a second emission wavelength, wherein the emission cross section of the first emission wavelength in the gain medium is less than the emission cross section of the second emission wavelength in the gain medium,
ii) a waveguide cladding external to the core having a second cross-sectional dimension, the ratio of the first cross-sectional dimension to the second cross-sectional dimension being 15% or greater, the waveguide cladding comprising a series of nodes surrounded by a background material, the waveguide cladding defining a transmission band of the PBF, and
ii) a pump cladding external to the waveguide cladding; wherein

the first emission wavelength falls outside of the transmission band and the second emission wavelength falls within the transmission band; and wherein
the solid state laser is configured to receive a laser signal at the second emission wavelength delivered from the pump source with an average power of about 50 Watts or greater, a peak power of 100 Watts or greater, and at a pumping efficiency of about 60% or greater.