Fiber Laser Generation in the C-Band: Leveraging Organic Material in the Erbium-Doped Fibers

In recent years, the increasing demand for compact, sustainable, and cost-effective laser technologies has prompted the exploration of organic materials as alternatives to conventional inorganic saturable absorbers (SAs). Among these, Polyaniline (PANI) has emerged as a promising candidate due to its favorable nonlinear optical properties, ease of fabrication, and environmental friendliness. This study investigates the application of PANI as a SA in Q-switched Erbium-Doped Fiber Lasers (EDFLs) operating within the C-band (1530 - 1565 nm), a critical range for optical telecommunications. The objective was to assess PANI’s performance in comparison with traditional inorganic materials, focusing on key metrics including pulse energy, emission wavelength, repetition rate, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The experimental setup employed a 1.55 µm Q-switched EDFL configuration with PANI incorporated into the laser cavity. Results showed that PANI produced a maximum pulse energy of 52 nJ, a repetition rate of 78.13 kHz, and an SNR of 60.4 dB. While inorganic materials demonstrated superior pulse energy and repetition rate, PANI exhibited stable and repeatable performance across varying pump powers. This indicates its suitability for applications that prioritize consistent pulse delivery over peak performance—such as telecommunications, biomedical imaging, and spectroscopy. The findings highlight PANI’s potential as a viable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective saturable absorber, offering a practical balance between efficiency and sustainability. Future research should focus on enhancing its performance through hybrid organic-inorganic composites and further investigating other organic materials for advanced fiber laser applications.