Mode instability thresholds of fiber amplifiers

We show by detailed numerical modeling that stimulated thermal Rayleigh scattering can account for the modal instability observed in high power fiber amplifiers. Our model illustrates how the instability threshold power can be maximized by eliminating amplitude and phase modulation of the signal seed light and the pump light and by careful injection of the signal seed light. We also illustrate the influence of photodarkening and mode specific loss.