  techniques can be considered as an attractive alternative to the
often-cumbersome traditional manufacturing routes. With the use of high-power
lasers, localized hot zones that are necessary for glass making can be obtained
rapidly. For instance, Laser-Powder-Deposition enables rapid fabrication of
short, high gain fibers used in e.g., distributed feedback fiber lasers (DFFL).
DFFLs offer sought after performance suitable for a broad range of applications
in modern photonics i.e., superior stability and narrower, single-frequency
linewidth compared to conventional fiber lasers. Tunable, narrow laser sources
with output in eye-safe spectrum are desired for sensing, signal multiplexing,
LIDAR systems, quantum applications etc. In this work we present DFFL obtained
using Laser-Powder-Deposition made Er-doped silica fiber. Milliwatt level,
narrow line lasing (< 704 kHz, equipment limited) was obtained using a
phaseshifted grating written in 16 mm long fiber. The backward slope efficiency
was as high as 24% when pumping at 976 nm. The results presented in this work
showcase new possibilities in fiber fabrication that were unlocked through
laser-assisted additive manufacturing. This fiber laser sets the stage for the
future of rapid fabrication of advanced fiber devices through unconventional
manufacturing routes.
