Actively Q-switched fiber lasers: Switching dynamics and nonlinear processes

The Q-switching characteristics of actively Q-switched fiber lasers, especially the inconsistency of experimental observations with traditional Q-switching theory, are reviewed first in this paper. Based on a few typical high-power Q-switched rare-earth-doped fiber lasers, the switching dynamics in the linear and ring fiber cavities is then systematically illustrated under different fiber, pumping and switching conditions by using the traveling …