Ytterbium-doped multicomponent fluorosilicate optical fibers with intrinsically low optical nonlinearities

Ytterbium-doped strontium fluorosilicate optical fibers exhibiting intrinsically low optical nonlinearities were fabricated and characterized. Specifically, reductions up to ~1.5 dB, ~9 dB, and ~3 dB in Raman gain, Brillouin gain, and thermo-optic coefficients, respectively, were measured relative to conventional silica optical fibers. Additionally, fluorescence lifetime, and emission and absorption spectra for these fibers are presented and suggest enhanced performance relative to their more commonly employed aluminosilicate and phosphosilicate counterparts. Low quantum defect (< 1.5%) operation in these fibers, coupled with their low thermo-optic coefficients, may ultimately yield high power fiber lasers with greater immunity to thermal-based parasitic processes. The results indicate the potential of these fibers and glass materials for high energy fiber-based applications.