A new basic structure suitable for a fully integrated all-fiber-optic stimulated emission dye source

Abstract

Abstract In the present work, our research is focused on an innovative compact all-fiber-optic structure suitable for the development of fully integrated dye lasers. The structure is based on a standard fiber-optic glass ferrule with two parallel openings along its length with diameters of 125 μm. A Fabry-Perot cavity is formed in one of the openings using two fused silica optical fibers with flat end facets. An angle-polished optical fiber with a reflective metal coating is placed in the second opening through which the active medium is pumped transversely. The active medium used is the Rhodamine 6G dye dissolved in glycerine, which is pumped by the 337.1-nm wavelength laser pulses of a nitrogen TEA laser. The ferrule-based design allows for a simplified set-up procedure and the integration of the pumping system to the basic structure of the laser, thus making it very compact. The design of the light source presented allows its future use in applications, such as lab-on-a-fiber, lab-on-a-chip and total analysis micro systems.