Abstract: Methods and systems for hybrid gain guiding in laser resonators that combines the features of gain guiding and fiber or other types of lasers into a single system. Hybrid gain guiding in laser resonators is not limited to conventional fiber lasers. Any type of gain guided fiber, index guided or anti-guided, is used as an intracavity element to induce loss on high order modes in an otherwise multimode laser system. The gain guided element contributes little gain to the laser oscillator but allows only the lowest order mode to transmit without loss. When the gain guiding fiber length is selected so the loss for a particular cavity mode is greater than the gain, the cavity mode does not lase. Since the gain guiding fiber induces loss for all laser modes other than the lowest order mode it makes sure that the mode one higher than the lowest order mode does not lase and as a result, no other cavity modes lase.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices for a waveguide pumping gain guided index antiguided fiber laser having a fiber selected for a refractive index crossover at a wavelength between a pump wavelength and a laser emission wavelength. A waveguide pumping system pumps a light having a pump wavelength into the fiber allowing a laser light to be captured by a gain guided process in the core while the pump light, propagating in the cladding is coupled to the core. The fiber selection includes selecting a fiber with a cladding material having a refractive index less than a core material refractive index for a pump wavelength and a core refractive index at the laser emission wavelength is less than the cladding refractive index at the same laser emission wavelength to allow the pump light to propagate through the cladding as a conventional wave guided fiber laser, white the laser emission is captured within the core as an index antiguided, gain guided wave.

Abstract: Methods and systems for hybrid gain guiding in laser resonators that combines the features of gain guiding and fiber or other types of lasers into a single system. Hybrid gain guiding in laser resonators is not limited to conventional fiber lasers. Any type of gain guided fiber, index guided or anti-guided, is used as an intracavity element to induce loss on high order modes in an otherwise multimode laser system. The gain guided element contributes little gain to the laser oscillator but allows only the lowest order mode to transmit without loss. When the gain guiding fiber length is selected so the loss for a particular cavity mode is greater than the gain, the cavity mode does not lase. Since the gain guiding fiber induces loss for all laser modes other than the lowest order mode it makes sure that the mode one higher than the lowest order mode does not lase and as a result, no other cavity modes lase.