Monolithic fiber amplifiers for the next generation of gravitational wave detectors

Sven Hochheim; Felix Wellmann; Thomas Theeg; Omar de Varona; Phillip Booker; Peter Wessels; Michael Steinke; Jörg Neumann; Dietmar Kracht

doi:10.1117/12.2306725

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17 May 2018 Monolithic fiber amplifiers for the next generation of gravitational wave detectors

Sven Hochheim; Felix Wellmann; Thomas Theeg; Omar de Varona; Phillip Booker; Peter Wessels; Michael Steinke; Jörg Neumann; Dietmar Kracht

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Proceedings Volume 10683, Fiber Lasers and Glass Photonics: Materials through Applications; 1068320 (2018) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2306725
Event: SPIE Photonics Europe, 2018, Strasbourg, France

Abstract

Single-frequency Yb³⁺ and Er³⁺:Yb³⁺ fiber amplifiers (YDFA/EYDFA) in MOPA configuration operating at 1064 nm and around 1550 nm are promising candidates to fulfill the challenging requirements on laser sources for the next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors (GWDs). They offer high beam quality, long-term stability and allow for excellent thermal management. We developed an engineering fiber amplifier prototype at 1064 nm emitting around 200W of linearly-polarized light in the TEM₀₀ mode. The system consists of three modules: the seed source, the pre-amplifier and the main amplifier. The modular design ensures reliable long-term operation, decreases system complexity and simplifies maintenance procedures and repair. In addition, commercial available fibers increase the flexibility of the entire system. We also developed and characterized a fiber amplifier prototype at 1556 nm that emits 100W of linearly-polarized light in the TEM₀₀ mode. The EYDFA is pumped off-resonantly at 940 nm to enhance the Yb³⁺-to-Er³⁺ energy transfer efficiency and enable a higher amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) threshold. In addition to that, we performed measurements to study phase to intensity noise coupling via the Kramers-Kronig relation above the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) threshold, as it was proposed based on numerical simulations. This effect is based on an asymmetric gain spectrum, which we measured experimentally and used for the reconstruction of the broadband excess intensity noise.

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Sven Hochheim, Felix Wellmann, Thomas Theeg, Omar de Varona, Phillip Booker, Peter Wessels, Michael Steinke, Jörg Neumann, and Dietmar Kracht "Monolithic fiber amplifiers for the next generation of gravitational wave detectors ", Proc. SPIE 10683, Fiber Lasers and Glass Photonics: Materials through Applications, 1068320 (17 May 2018); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2306725