Thermal, stress, and thermo-optic effects in high average power double-clad silica fiber lasers

Yb:glass fiber lasers have matured to the point where the average power scaling of such devices to the kilowatt level and beyond can be realistically pursued. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of thermal, stress, and average power scaling in double-clad silica fiber lasers. We show that careful management of thermal effects in fiber lasers will determine the efficiency and success of scaling-up efforts.