Q-switched all-fiber lasers with saturable absorbers

In this brief review we consider the relatively new design of the pulsed fiber lasers, namely lasers with the fiber saturable absorber (FSA). Main advantage of this design consists in a possibility to realize a simple all-fiber scheme of Qswitched laser. We show that such lasers can be based on the different types of the fiber absorber and operate in the different spectral ranges. Up to now a set of the pulsed lasers were build. Pulse energy from several µJ to several hundred µJ was demonstrated. Pear power was changed from tens W to several kW with the pulse duration from 50 ns to 1 µs. We show that described principles of Q-switching can be applied for other types of the fiber lasers. Also, new fiber absorbers are suggested. (© 2011 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA) (© 2011 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA)