Large-energy, wavelength-tunable, all-fiber passively Q-switched Er:Yb-codoped double-clad fiber laser with mono-layer chemical vapor deposition graphene

We demonstrate a large-energy, wavelength-tunable, all-fiber passively Q-switched Er:Yb-codoped laser using a mono-layer chemical vapor deposition (CVD) graphene saturable absorber (SA). By exploiting the large laser gain of Er:Yb double-clad fiber and optimizing the coupling ratio of the output coupler, not only can the mono-layer CVD graphene SA be protected from oversaturation and thermal damage, but also a large pulse energy up to 1.05 mu J (corresponding to the average output power of 25.6 mW) is thus achieved. Using a tunable fiber Fabry-Perot filter, stable Q-switched pulses can operate with a tunable range from 1530.97 to 1546.92 nm, covering a wavelength range of similar to 16 nm. The Q-switching states at the different lasing wavelengths have been observed and recorded. The Q-switched repetition rate and the pulse duration (with the minimum one of 2.6 mu s) have been characterized as well. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest pulse energy from an all-fiber graphene Q-switched laser. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America