Continuous-wave single-frequency holmium-doped fiber laser based on saturable absorber

Abstract The single-frequency holmium-doped fiber laser with spectral filtration based on a dynamics filter formed in heavily holmium-doped fiber is presented. The continuous wave lasing on a single longitudinal mode in the spectral region of 2.1 μ m with an output power of 1.6 mW is shown when the filtering fiber is cooled with liquid nitrogen. The optical signal-to-noise ratio and the relative intensity noise were more than 30 dB and — 62.8 dB Hz −1 , respectively. The developed source can be used for gas spectroscopy as well as for remote atmosphere sensing of such gases as carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, ammonia, carbon monoxide and others.