Towards high-power MOPA architectures in single-mode fibers for mid-IR mode-locked operation.

We report on a master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system at 2.8 µm to achieve an average power of 10.28 W with a pulse energy and peak power of 403 nJ and 5.

2.8-µm polarization-maintaining Er fiber laser mode-locked by a GaSb-based SESAM.

A GaSb-based SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM) enables continuous-wave picosecond mode-locked operation with excellent stability of a polarization-maintaining mid-infrared Er:ZBLAN fiber laser. The GaSb-based SESAM mode-locked fiber laser delivers an average output power of 190 mW at 2.76 µm at a repetition rate of 32.

Mid-infrared interferometry with non-adiabatic tapered ZBLAN optical fiber.

This work illustrates, to the best of our knowledge, the first non-adiabatic tapered single-mode zirconium fluoride optical fiber sensor in the mid-infrared spectral range. It is designed and fabricated via pulling and heating technique. A waist diameter d = 25 µm with no visible crystallization is achieved, overcoming the typical fluoride glass challenges associated with crystallization, narrow temperature fabrication window, and low glass transition temperature.

Fused optical fiber combiner based on indium fluoride glass: perspectives for mid-IR applications.

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the design and characterization of a 3 × 1 fused fiber combiner based on multimode step-index fluoroindate optical fibers (InF) has been performed. Several efforts to develop a well-consolidated normalization procedure and a fabrication protocol have been required due to the low melting temperature and the mechanical properties of fluoroindates. Fabrication results demonstrate repeatability and absence of crystallization.

Femtosecond laser direct-written fiber Bragg gratings with high reflectivity and low loss at wavelengths beyond 4 µm.

We report on the fabrication of, to the best of our knowledge, the first highly reflective fiber Bragg gratings for the 4 µm wavelength range. A second-order grating with a coupling coefficient () of 230, losses <0.25/, and a bandwidth of approximately 3 nm was inscribed into the core of a passive indium fluoride () fiber using a femtosecond (fs) laser.

Local infiltration analgesia versus interscalene nerve block for postoperative pain control after shoulder arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized, comparative noninferiority study involving 99 patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of local infiltration analgesia (LIA) and interscalene nerve block (ISB) for early postoperative pain control after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The hypothesis was that LIA is not inferior to ISB.

Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled study was performed in 2014-2016.

Infrared supercontinuum generated in concatenated InF and AsSe fibers.

We report on infrared supercontinuum (SC) generation through subsequent nonlinear propagation in concatenated step-index fluoride and AsSe fiber. These fibers were pumped by an all-fiber laser source based on an erbium amplifier followed by a thulium power amplifier. ZBLAN and InF fibers were compared for the concatenated scheme.

Emission beyond 4 μm and mid-infrared lasing in a dysprosium-doped indium fluoride (InF) fiber.

Optical emission from rare-earth-doped fluoride fibers has thus far been limited to less than 4 μm. We extend emission beyond this limit by employing an indium fluoride (InF) glass fiber as the host, which exhibits an increased infrared transparency over commonly used zirconium fluoride (ZBLAN). Near-infrared pumping of a dysprosium-doped InF fiber results in broad emission centered around 4.

Supercontinuum generation in ZBLAN glass photonic crystal fiber with six nanobore cores.

Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) made from ZBLAN glass are of great interest for generating broadband supercontinua extending into the ultraviolet and mid-infrared regions. Precise sub-micrometer structuring makes it possible to adjust the modal dispersion over a wide range, making the generation of new frequencies more efficient. Here we report a novel ZBLAN PCF with six cores, each containing a central nanobore of a diameter ∼330  nm.

Mid-IR supercontinuum from 2.4 to 5.4 μm in a low-loss fluoroindate fiber.

A mid-infrared supercontinuum extending up to 5.4 μm is generated in a low-loss fluoroindate fiber. It is pumped with an erbium-doped fluoride fiber amplifier seeded with 400 ps pulses at 2.