Simple model to explain instabilities in passively-phased high-power fiber laser arrays

Erik J. Bochove; Sami A. Shakir; Yuji Starcher; Adrián Jacobo; Pere Colet; Alejandro B. Aceves; Yehuda Braiman; Ralf Deiterding; Casey Miller; Charles Rhodes

doi:10.1117/12.886659

9 June 2011 Simple model to explain instabilities in passively-phased high-power fiber laser arrays

Erik J. Bochove, Sami A. Shakir, Yuji Starcher, Adrián Jacobo, Pere Colet, Alejandro B. Aceves, Yehuda Braiman, Ralf Deiterding, Casey Miller, Charles Rhodes

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8080, Diode-Pumped High Energy and High Power Lasers; ELI: Ultrarelativistic Laser-Matter Interactions and Petawatt Photonics; and HiPER: the European Pathway to Laser Energy; 808009 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.886659
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

We propose a simple physical mechanism to explain observed instabilities in the dynamics of passively phased fiber amplifier arrays that arises from two properties: First that a weak phase disturbance of the output field of the array is converted into a strong intensity disturbance through the mode-selective feedback mechanism. Second, that this intensity fluctuation regenerates a phase fluctuation due to the nonlinear properties of the amplifying media. At sufficiently high operating power levels this cyclic disturbance continues to grow upon each cavity round trip, creating instability. This simple picture is supported by the results of a linear stability analysis of the set of propagation and population rate equations, which are in good agreement with observed critical power levels. A third level of quantitative confirmation was obtained by comparison to the results of numerical integration of the original set of nonlinear equations. This predicted instability is entirely a property of passively phased arrays of more than one element.

Citation Download Citation

Erik J. Bochove, Sami A. Shakir, Yuji Starcher, Adrián Jacobo, Pere Colet, Alejandro B. Aceves, Yehuda Braiman, Ralf Deiterding, Casey Miller, and Charles Rhodes "Simple model to explain instabilities in passively-phased high-power fiber laser arrays", Proc. SPIE 8080, Diode-Pumped High Energy and High Power Lasers; ELI: Ultrarelativistic Laser-Matter Interactions and Petawatt Photonics; and HiPER: the European Pathway to Laser Energy, 808009 (9 June 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.886659

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available