Optical fiber cooling apparatus for high-power double cladding optical fiber laser and amplifier

Abstract

The invention provides an optical fiber cooling device which is used for high power dual-cover optical fiber lasers and amplifiers. The optical fiber cooling device comprises a metal pipe, a metal optical fiber fixture at an input end and a metal optical fiber fixture at an output end; the internal surface of the metal pipe is provided with optical grooves which are distributed spirally; cold air openings are cut symmetrically at the side wall at the lower part of the metal pipe; the metal optical fiber fixtures which are strip-shaped metal blocks at the input end and the output end are respectively abutted against the side wall of the metal pipe; optical fiber grooves are arranged on the surface of the metal block and communicated with the optical fiber grooves on the internal surface of the metal pipe; the metal block is also provided with a pressing mechanism which is used for pressing the optical fiber tightly to the optical fiber grooves; the metal block of the metal optical fiber fixture at the input end is also internally provided with a cooling liquid passage. Through the tight contact of the optical fiber with the metal optical fiber fixture and the metal pipe, heat generated can be transmitted; flowing low temperature air and cooling liquid are used for cooling the metal pipe and the optical fiber fixture so as to prevent the temperature from increasing in an outer polymer cover of the dual-cover optical fiber and the aging of the optical fiber, thus prolonging service life.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of double-clad fiber lasers and amplifiers, in particular to a cooling device for double-clad fibers in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers. Background technique [0002] The double-clad fiber laser pumped by semiconductor laser diode has the characteristics of high efficiency, high power and good beam quality, and has great application value in machining, communication and national defense. The continuous output power of double-clad fiber lasers has been greatly developed in recent years, from the initial milliwatt level to the kilowatt level (see Y.Jeong, J.K.Sahu, D.N.Payne.Ytterbium-doped large-core fiber laser with 1.36 kW continuous-wave outputpower. Optics Express, 2004, 12(25): 6088-6092), and the optical fiber amplifier has also reached the kilowatt level. The rapid development of high-power double-clad fiber lasers is due to the maturity of the double-clad fiber preparation process. The optica...

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Problems solved by technology

[0003] At present, there have been patent reports on the cooling scheme of the input and output ends of the double-clad fiber of the high-power fiber laser (see the Chinese patent document with the patent number ZL200410098337.0), but this device is mainly to prevent permanent damage to the end face of the fiber. Moreover, the cooling effect is limited to a short range at both ends of the optical fiber. If the rest of the optical fiber is not cooled, it will accelerate the aging and failure of the outer cladding polymer of the optical fiber, and shorten the life of the laser.

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