Experimental and Numerical Study of Emission Properties of Pr(3+)-Doped Ga(In)-Ge-As-Se Glass Fibers

Experimental and theoretical studies of the novel chalcogenide glass fibers as materials for mid-IR fiber lasers have been carried out. Active core-clad fibers with a core of high-purity Pr(3+)-doped Ga(In)-Ge-As-Se glasses were manufactured. The Pr(3+)-doped fibers are characterized by minimum optical losses of 1-2 dB/m in the mid-IR, strong luminescence in the spectral range of 3.5 – 5.5 µm, high emission lifetime at 4.5 – 5 µm wavelengths, an ability to withstand more than 1600 mW of CW radiation pump powers. Based on the experimental characteristics of the prepared optical fibers, their laser properties were simulated, the values of the lasing slope efficiency DW µm and the threshold values of the pump power were estimated.