Efficient spectral control and tuning of a high-power narrow-linewidth Yb-doped fiber laser using a transversely chirped volume Bragg grating.

A transversely chirped volume Bragg grating (TCVBG) is used for flexible wavelength-tuning of a high-power (>100 W) tunable Yb-fiber laser oscillator. Continuous tuning over 2.5 THz of the narrow-band (13 GHz) signal was achieved by transversely translating the TCVBG during high-power operation without cavity realignment. The laser operated in a single polarization with a beam propagation factor (M(2)) of 1.2. Since the cavity losses remained constant, the high gain fiber laser exhibited excellent power stability (<0.6% relative deviation) over the investigated tuning range. The possibility of considerably increasing the output power and extending the tuning range while maintaining the power stability is discussed.