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
wave method, which leads to a new understanding of Q-switched fiber lasers. In particular …