Abstract: A laser marking system includes a high power fiber laser with a double clad fiber having a doped core surrounded by an inner pump cladding and providing an optical output for marking; a high power laser diode source for pumping the double clad fiber laser via an input into the inner pump cladding; an optical scanner coupled to receive the marking output from the double clad fiber laser to scan the output over a surface of an article to be marked by sweeping the marking output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes, the completion of which comprises indicia to be marked on the article surface; and a controller to control the operation of the scanner synchronized with the modulation of the laser diode pump source to initiate the marking output and sweep and modulate the marking optical output in one, two or three dimensions to form strokes comprising the indicia.

Abstract: A technique for fabricating a plurality of thin film filters (“TFFs”), and other optical devices, from a wafer. A device or TFF wafer is affixed to a carrier having a pattern of notches formed thereon corresponding to a pattern into which the wafer is to be diced to form the TFFs. The notches are sized to allow clearance of a dicing apparatus. The wafer is diced at least partially into the notches to form the TFFs, and the TFFs may be individually optically tested with a light source aligned thereto, while they remain affixed to the carrier. The TFFs are removed from the carrier for operation, and the carrier can be re-used. To facilitate re-use, a releasable adhesive is applied to the wafer and/or the carrier, and the notches receive any excess adhesive when the wafer is being affixed to the carrier.