Product Code: ICAL05_Plenary2

Fibre Lasers: The New Wave in Material Processing
Authors:
David Parker, SPI; Southampton UK
David Payne, Optoelectronic Research Centre, Univ. of Southampton; Southampton UK
Presented at ICALEO 2005

In the last few years, fibre lasers have established themselves as the preferred laser source in many applications. The combination of small size, maintenance-free operation, thermal and electrical efficiency, combined with outstanding (diffraction limited) beam quality, have made the fibre laser an attractive alternative to more established technologies, and in some cases the enabling technology. Unique among high power lasers, the fiber laser is monolithic, the light being entirely confined to the fiber core. This gives an immunity to thermal distortion of the beam, almost instant startup, very high stability and immunity from the environment. Maintenance is minimal, since no realignment or cleaning of components is necessary.