High-efficiency organic dye-doped polymer optical fiber lasers

Abstract
A graded-index polymer optical fiber containing rhodamine 6G in poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) has been fabricated. Lasing behavior of the fiber was observed by pumping with a frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd: yttrium–aluminum–garnet laser. A slope efficiency of 43% and a lifetime of 110 000 shots at a repetition rate of 10 Hz have been observed. With a 1.5 mJ pump energy, an output energy of 640 μJ was produced.