Pump and signal combiners are a kind of device used for effective coupling into cladding pump fibers. There are different types of pump and signal combiners, and each of them functions differently. For example, multi-mode pump and signal combiners are best used for high power motor whereas single mode is designed for industrial military medical. So it is very important to choose the right one that could best cater to the desired need.
It becomes pretty easy to choose the right combiner when you have a pretty good knowledge about all types of combiners available in the market. And this is what this post is all about. You will find every bit of information very useful in choosing the right combiner for your need. So lets us take a comprehensive look at each of them in perspective of features, typical applications, and other crucial things.
Types of signal and pump combiners
There are three types of pump and signal combiners viz. multimode, single mode and polarization-maintaining combiners. Let’s take a look in details at each of them here.
Multimode
The type of combiner is highly recommended for the high motors such as high power fiber laser and fiber amplifiers. They are used to combine several pump lasers and couple that power with a seed signal. Made of fine grade material using proprietary methods, the combiners come in various series which include (6+1)×1, (18+1)×1, (36+1)×1. Moreover, other configurations are also available to ensure the most reliable coupling. Some of the key benefits of the multi-mode pump and signal combiner include stable and reliable, cost-effective, custom configuration and it is widely used for Industrial Military Medical.
SINGLE MODE
It can couple 6 to 18 multimode sources along with 1 single mode single source for combined power output. Single mode combiners can also be used with a cladding pumped fiber. Given that, it is mostly used for applications in industrial military medical. It is also used to build amplifiers to be used in telecommunication.
POLARIZATION MAINTAINING
Polarization-maintaining combiners are capable of coupling around 6 multimode sources and one polarization-maintaining source for combined power output. The combiners are used to construct amplifiers that need single polarization outputs and are used in industrial military medical and telecommunication applications.
Now you are better in position to decide which pump and signal combiner you may need. But how to buy the one that yields you a better result. Yes, it pretty simple, and all you need to do is make sure that the combiners you choose:
- Provide easy splicing
- High coupling efficiency
- Measurable result
- Are Compatible with 915 nm and 976
- Thermally screened for increased
- And are optimized for 1 and 1.5 µm applications
Some manufacturers also provide custom pump and signal combiners for specific requirements. They add some additional features as customers’ requirements. So when you need to get your combiner customized, they are a good choice.