Q-switched and single polarisation laser diode pumped Nd/sup 3+/ doped fibre lasers

Fibre lasers are attractive candidates as sources for fibre devices. Certain applications, such as distributed sensing, require short duration pulses of reasonable energy approximately 1 mu J: other applications, for example current monitors, require single polarisation operation. The authors demonstrate that both requirements can be met by diode pumped fibre lasers. Results are present for Nd/sup 3+/ doped silica fibres, fabricated by the solution doping technique.<
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