DYE-LASERS USING TAPERED OPTICAL FIBERS

A new type of dye laser operating in a single-mode optical fiber has b een studied. The gain is produced by surrounding a tapered section of the fiber with laser dye. Interaction of the light in the fiber with t he laser dye is achieved through the exposed evanescent field at the t aper waist. Low lasing thresholds (25-65 mW) are obtained as a result of the high intensities at the taper waist. These tapered fiber dye la sers combine the advantages of a laser in fiber form with the wide spe ctral tuning ranges provided by laser dyes. Three experiments, demonst rating low-threshold operation of a grating tuned laser, an all-fiber ring laser, and cw lasing in tapered fiber dye devices, are presented.