Abstract

As it was shown recently, bismuth-doped silica optical fibers are promising as a gain medium for fiber lasers and amplifiers operating in the range 1150–1500 nm (see, e.g. review [1]). And it was already demonstrated that Bi-doped fiber lasers can show high effeciency and high power operation within several sub-bands of this wavelength range: 1150–1200 nm, 1280-1360 nm and around 1460 nm [1,2]. Up to now there was no data concerning the possibility of the efficient bismuth fiber lasers at the wavelength around 1270 nm. This wavelength is of special interest for medecal applications (see, e.g.[3]). Moreover, the second harmonic of such lasers can be used for substitution of He-Ne gas lasers. The wavelength 1270 nm is located between the gain bands of Bi-doped alumosilicate and Bi-doped phosphosilicate or Bi-doped gemanophosphosilicate fibers (GPS fibers) [1]. We have estimated that GPS fibers are most promising for lasing at this wavelength.

© 2011 Optical Society of America