Active photonic band-gap optical fiber

A plurality of active gain material ( 93 ) is disposed in an active interface portion ( 44 ) of a dielectric band-gap cladding confinement region ( 22 ) adjacent to a dielectric core ( 12 ) of a photonic band-gap crystal fiber ( 20 ), wherein during operation, the plurality of active gain material ( 93 ) absorbs the pump energy and stores the pump energy as a potential energy storage for stimulation by EM energy in a second guided mode at a second frequency in a second range of frequencies for overlapping with the first guided mode of the core ( 12 ) such that the surface defined by an interface between the photonic band-gap cladding ( 22 ) and the dielectric core ( 12 ) that supports at least one surface mode propagating at that interface ( 44 ) overlaps the active interface portion of the dielectric cladding confinement region and a state associated with the dielectric core ( 12 ).