Towards highly efficient polymer fiber laser sources for integrated photonic sensors

authored by

Simon Spelthann, Stefanie Unland, Jonas Thiem, Florian Jakobs, Jana Kielhorn, Pen Yiao Ang, Hans Hermann Johannes, Dietmar Kracht, Jörg Neumann, Axel Rühl, Wolfgang Kowalsky, Detlev Ristau

Abstract

Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) devices combining microfluidic analyte provision with integrated optical analysis are highly desirable for several applications in biological or medical sciences. While the microfluidic approach is already broadly addressed, some work needs to be done regarding the integrated optics, especially provision of highly integrable laser sources. Polymer optical fiber (POF) lasers represent an alignment-free, rugged, and flexible technology platform. Additionally, POFs are intrinsically compatible to polymer microfluidic devices. Home-made Rhodamine B (RB)-doped POFs were characterized with experimental and numerical parameter studies on their lasing potential. High output energies of 1.65 mJ, high slope efficiencies of 56%, and 50%-lifetimes of ≥900 k shots were extracted from RB:POFs. Furthermore, RB:POFs show broad spectral tunability over several tens of nanometers. A route to optimize polymer fiber lasers is revealed, providing functionality for a broad range of LoC devices. Spectral tunability, high efficiencies, and output energies enable a broad field of LoC applications.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Quantum Optics
PhoenixD: Photonics, Optics, and Engineering - Innovation Across Disciplines

External Organisation(s)

Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH)
Technische Universität Braunschweig
QUANOMET: Research area quantum and nanometrology of the research alliance Braunschweig-Hannover

Type

Article

Journal

Sensors (Switzerland)

Volume

20

No. of pages

10

ISSN

1424-8220

Publication date

22.07.2020

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry, Biochemistry, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Instrumentation, Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.3390/s20154086 (Access: Open)