Abstract

Extensive lifetesting is ongoing for single spatial mode 980 nm laser diodes suitable for pumping fiber amplifiers. Reliability estimates for commercially available lasers exceed the requirements for terrestrial deployment. Testing is currently being initiated on a new generation of devices that are expected to produce even better reliability at even higher powers that simplify amplifier design and reduce cost. New device designs, such as the master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA), have demonstrated radically higher single-mode fiber coupled powers and coupling efficiencies. Recently, coupling efficiencies into single-mode fiber of 68 % have been achieved with total fiber coupled power in excess of 800 mW. This represents more than an 8 fold increase over the maximum commercially available power of 90 mW, and should open new applications to fiber amplifiers. These fiber coupled powers are available at both 980 nm and 1017 nm.

© 1994 Optical Society of America