Nowadays, fiber lasers and amplifiers are being used in a wide range of applications. Their popularity is only increasing as they provide high wall-plug efficiency and superior beam quality even at high power levels. Since their usage is increasing in the commercial sector, the utmost focus is given on their reliability and also of other components required in the system. Thus, to enhance the reliability and robustness of all-fiber lasers and amplifiers at high power, you need to manage unwanted light with extreme efficiency. That’s where a cladding power stripper (CPS) comes into the picture.
Once you are able to properly manage the unwanted light, you can significantly improve the quality of the system and the output light beam as well. The unwanted light generates across the chain of components forming a system, and each of these components has a specific task to perform. For instance, tapered fused bundle (TFB) couplers are used for combining signal and pump light. They typically have low transmission loss but require protection against the backward traveling light to ensure that they safely function at high power in a real system. Here, you can use cladding power strippers to ensure their safe functioning.
By now, you might have got an idea of what cladding power strippers do. But what are they exactly?
What is a cladding power stripper?
A cladding power stripper is a mode stripping device designed to remove any light that travels in the cladding and helps ensure that the measurements are based only on the effects of the core and not the cladding.
An ideal cladding power stripper features high stripping efficiency, low signal loss, low beam quality degradation, high extinction ratio, high-temperature stability, high power handling capability, and extreme reliability.
It helps you ensure that optical powers are absorbed in a widespread area and that generated heat can be dissipated safely without affecting or damaging the surrounding components.
What are the uses of a cladding power stripper?
A cladding power stripper is widely used in:
- Fiber amplifiers
- Fiber laser systems
- ASE Stripping
- Life science and Imaging
- Quantum optics
- Telecommunication systems
- Biomedical applications
- Metrology field
Why do I need to strip light from the cladding of an optical fiber?
The unwanted light in the cladding of the fiber leads to poor beam quality and incorrect measurements. These effects can be more pronounced when you are working with high-power systems. Apart from improving the beam quality, you might also want to prevent the residual light from accompanying the amplified signal or from reaching the signal source. Undesired light in the cladding can also lead to excessive heat which can destroy the coating. Hence, you will need to use cladding power strippers to remove the unwanted light that travels in the cladding.
If you need cladding power strippers in standard or custom specifications or have any queries about cladding power strippers, please feel free to contact us. We offer cladding power strippers in a range of specifications and make sure that we provide you with only quality products.