High-power 83 W holmium-doped silica fiber laser operating with high beam quality

A high-power 83 W cladding-pumped Tm3+-Ho3+-doped silica fiber laser is reported. Using bidirectional 793 nm diode pumping, a maximum slope efficiency of 42% was produced after a threshold launched pump power of 12 W was exceeded. The laser operated at wavelengths near 2105 nm with moderate beam quality, i.e., M2 approximately 1.5. Further power scaling of the fiber laser was limited by thermal failure of the fiber ends.