Patent ID: 6931032

Claim:
A method of transferring energy from a cladding element to a core element in an optical fiber laser structure wherein the core element comprises an active gain component that lases, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a pumping source for producing energy; b) optically coupling the pumping source to a cladding element comprising a matrix material having an energy migration component, the cladding element at least partially surrounding a core element comprising a matrix material, the energy migration component, and an active gain component; c) pumping the cladding element with the energy produced by the pumping source such that the energy is absorbed and stored by the energy migration component; and d) transferring the energy stored in the cladding element to the core element by migration of the energy from the energy migration component in the cladding to the energy migration component within the matrix material of the core and then to the active gain component within the matrix material of the core element such that the active gain component lases.