ISLA · Integrated disruptive componentS for 2um fibre LAsers

2-micron fibre laser technology has the potential to open a whole new area of ICT & industrial applications. The well-known power scaling advantages, from increased core size & higher non-linear thresholds, offer a tenfold increase in raw power" compared with current 1-micron technology. Simultaneously, a host of applications specific to this almost unexplored region of the eye-safe spectrum become possible, including: industrial processing, free-space communications & medical procedures. Undoubtedly more will arise as currently exotic wavelengths become readily available. To date, the lack of suitable components has blocked R&D in this field. However, several recent disruptive component developments have changed the landscape: 1) Ho-doped silica fibre technology has advanced, providing a solid base for development