Date of Award
5-2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Materials Science and Engineering
Committee Chair/Advisor
John Ballato
Committee Member
Peter Dragic
Committee Member
Thomas W. Hawkins
Committee Member
Kyle Brinkman
Committee Member
Stephen Foulger
Abstract
Optical fiber-based amplifiers and lasers enable a great many useful devices and conveniences. Unfortunately, however, they can generate considerable heat during operation that drives the need for complex cooling solutions, thus reducing many of the size, weight, and power (SWAP) benefits for which fiber lasers are known. Additionally, at elevated temperatures, thermally-driven phenomena, such as Transverse Mode Instability (TMI), can be induced that limit the power-scaling of fiber lasers. The focus of this Dissertation is to explore novel approaches to thermal management in fiber lasers through judicious materials science and engineering to obviate the aforementioned limitations. Fibers studied in this Dissertation were fabricated using industry-standard, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes since only this process affords the potential for near-intrinsic levels of purity and compositional control needed to explore subtle, all-optical internal cooling effects previously thought impossible in silica optical fibers.
Recommended Citation
Meehan, Bailey, "A Comprehensive Materials Approach to Thermal Management in Fiber Lasers" (2024). All Dissertations. 3619.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/3619