High-power double-cladding fiber lasers: A 30-year overview

Abstract

The invention of a double-cladding fiber in 1988 has evolved the conventional view that a fiber laser is only a weak-power source. This paper presents a 30-year evolution of the high-power fiber lasers, including seven important milestones that are summarized according to the time sequence. The key technologies, such as ytterbium-doped fiber, large-mode-area fiber, tandem pumping, and beam combination, are introduced. The promotion of the output power of fiber lasers from the watt-level to 100-kW-level is presented. Finally, the latest research result of the fiber laser summarized as "any wavelength, pulse duration, and power" is reviewed, as well as the development trend and the application prospect of high-power fiber lasers.