Reimaging and concentrating CO2 laser beam from Fiberlase: a high-efficiency flexible hollow waveguide

Gordon Gu; Clifford E. Morrow

doi:10.1117/12.237554

5 April 1996 Reimaging and concentrating CO₂ laser beam from Fiberlase: a high-efficiency flexible hollow waveguide

Gordon Gu, Clifford E. Morrow

Proceedings Volume 2677, Biomedical Fiber Optics; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.237554
Event: Photonics West '96, 1996, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

The minimum spot size from our current production of the Fiberlase is 0.8 mm at the waveguide tip and is suitable for many laser material applications. For some advanced medical and industrial applications, a very small spot size and high power density is required. A smaller laser spot size can be achieved by reducing the waveguide ID, however a tremendous amount of laser power will be lost as the guide diameter is reduced. In addition, it is increasingly difficult to couple a carbon-dioxide laser beam into ever smaller diameter waveguide. In order to concentrate carbon-dioxide laser light down to 0.3 mm or less, our first design approach is reimaging the laser spot from the waveguide with a single or double lens system. The other approach is by using a nonimaging conical waveguide taper to concentrate the carbon-dioxide laser light. The performance of these approaches is discussed in terms of the spot size, beam quality and power transmission.

Citation Download Citation

Gordon Gu and Clifford E. Morrow "Reimaging and concentrating CO₂ laser beam from Fiberlase: a high-efficiency flexible hollow waveguide", Proc. SPIE 2677, Biomedical Fiber Optics, (5 April 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.237554

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