Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a hollow fiber core, wherein the front faces of both fiber ends of the hollow fiber core are open and each fiber end is surrounded by a protection element in a dustproof fashion. The protection element includes a window at its front face in front of the fiber end to couple and decouple light to and from the hollow fiber core.

Abstract: A lamp-pumped laser includes a pump light source for optically pumping a laser medium, such as a laser rod, a pump light sensor that detects the optical pumping power of the pump light source, and a control unit connected to receive an output signal from the pump light sensor and to increase the electric power of the pump light source on the basis of the detected optical pumping power and in correspondence with a predetermined rise characteristic of the optical pumping power.

Abstract: A high-power fiber laser amplifier with a laser wavelength of about 1060 to 1100 nm and an average laser power of more than about 500 W and an almost diffraction-limited beam quality (M2<1.5) comprises a double-clad laser fiber that has a separate, laser-active fiber core with an outer diameter of at least 20 ?m and a pump core that surrounds the fiber core and has an outer diameter of at least 50 ?m, and ytterbium-doped solid state laser that emits pump light with a wavelength of approximately 1030 nm, a beam quality of M2< of approximately 30 and a laser power of at least approximately 600 watts, for pumping the double-clad laser fiber.

Abstract: A system provides for remote communication between a service computer and a machine control at a machine. The system includes at least one central computer that is protected by a Firewall, a connection between the service computer and the central computer, and communication connections that are allocated to each of the machine controls. The at least one central computer includes a plurality of virtual computers. Each communication connection is associated with a virtual computer. The central computer can be connected to a particular machine control through the virtual computer that is set up for the communication connection allocated to the particular machine control.

Abstract: A device for focusing a laser beam includes a first telescopic configuration and a second telescopic configuration. The first telescopic configuration includes a collimating optical element for collimating the laser beam and a downstream focusing optical element for focusing the laser beam onto a focal point. The second telescopic configuration includes a first lens and a downstream second lens disposed in the divergent beam path upstream of the first telescopic configuration. The first and second lenses of the second telescopic configuration are moveable relative to each other in the beam direction.

Abstract: A controllable Pockels cell system has a switching unit that can apply voltage to the Pockels cell. The Pockels cell system also features a delay unit that enables setting of a precise time when voltage is applied or removed from the Pockels cell. This allows displacing in time the voltage pulse applied to the Pockels cell, in this manner also displacing in time the transmission pulse of the Pockels cell with an analyzer located behind the Pockels cell. Thus it is possible to individually control the amplitude of selected laser pulses. The switching unit can either be a simple push-pull circuit or a bridge circuit made from two push-pull circuits.

Abstract: A laser welding device includes a laser that generates a laser beam, an optics, and a limiting apparatus. The optics has a focal length of at least 200 nm and being configured to focus the laser beam onto a processing zone of a workpiece. The limiting apparatus limits a mixture of welding gases and heated ambient air, produced during laser welding, within the laser beam to a region that is less than the focal length from a surface of the workpiece.

Abstract: An optical fiber comprises a hollow fiber core, wherein the front faces of both fiber ends of the hollow fiber core are open and each fiber end is surrounded by a protection element in a dustproof fashion. The protection element includes a window at its front face in front of the fiber end to couple and decouple light to and from the hollow fiber core.

Abstract: A device couples a laser beam into a laser light cable having a cable connection for the laser light cable. The device includes a safety element that is operable to move to a safety position only when the laser light cable is properly connected to the cable connection. The coupling device includes an optical arrangement that is controlled by the safety element, and is disposed in the beam path of the laser beam upstream of the cable connection and only directs the laser beam towards the cable connection when the safety element is in the safety position.

Abstract: A high-power fiber laser amplifier with a laser wavelength of about 1060 to 1100 nm and an average laser power of more than about 500 W and an almost diffraction-limited beam quality (M2<1.5) comprises a double-clad laser fiber that has a separate, laser-active fiber core with an outer diameter of at least 20 ?m and a pump core that surrounds the fiber core and has an outer diameter of at least 50 ?m, and ytterbium-doped solid state laser that emits pump light with a wavelength of approximately 1030 nm, a beam quality of M2<of approximately 30 and a laser power of at least approximately 600 watts, for pumping the double-clad laser fiber.

Abstract: A beam shaping optical arrangement combines three incoming laser beams that are mutually laterally offset in two orthogonal directions (X and Y), including an incoming first central laser beam and second and third incoming beams laterally offset in the X direction on either side of the central beam, into one outgoing combined laser beam. The arrangement includes two lateral displacement optical units though which the laterally offset incoming beams are transmitted and that laterally displace the two laterally offset incoming beams along the X direction towards the incoming central beam but which do not laterally offset the incoming central beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring soiling of an optical element of a processing head of a machine for laser processing of a workpiece includes a first transparent optical element, positioned in a path of a laser beam, a second transparent optical element, positioned in the path of a laser beam and separated from the first transparent optical element by a gap, a first detector for detecting laser light scattered from the first transparent optical element, and a second detector for detecting laser light scattered within the gap between the first transparent optical element and the second transparent optical element.

Abstract: An optical fiber connector includes a sleeve having a first end surface, an abutment having a second end surface, the abutment being located within the sleeve and axially movable within the sleeve, and at least three balls located between the first end surface and the second end surface within the sleeve for clamping an optical fiber, the balls having centers disposed in a plane and being axially and radially displaceable in the sleeve and biased radially inwardly toward a central axis of the sleeve. At least one of the first end surface and the second end surface includes a conical surface.

Abstract: In order to improve a pumping light source for laser-active media comprising an outer member enclosing a gas discharge medium, a first electrode acting as a cathode and having a first electrode end located within the outer member, a second electrode acting as an anode and having a second electrode end located within the outer member and a gas discharge chamber located within the outer member between the electrode ends facing one another, in such a manner that the service life thereof is longer it is suggested that the first electrode end be essentially cooled by radiation and that a predominantly diffuse gas discharge be formed proceeding from an areally extended surface area located at the first electrode end.

Abstract: In order to improve a pumping light source for laser-active media comprising an outer member enclosing a gas discharge medium, a first electrode acting as a cathode and having a first electrode end located within the outer member, a second electrode acting as an anode and having a second electrode end located within the outer member and a gas discharge chamber located within the outer member between the electrode ends facing one another, in such a manner that the service life thereof is longer it is suggested that the first electrode end be essentially cooled by radiation and that a predominantly diffuse gas discharge be formed proceeding from an areally extended surface area located at the first electrode end.

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring an optical element of a processing head of a machine for thermal processing of a workpiece includes a light source for coupling a light beam into an optical surface of an optical element and a detector for detecting a portion of the light beam scattered in the region of the optical surface facing the workpiece.

Abstract: In order to improve a laser amplifying system comprising a plate-like solid-state body which has two oppositely located flat sides and comprises a laser-active medium, a cooling member with a support surface which is arranged so as to face one of the flat sides of the solid-state body and with which this flat side is thermally coupled for the discharge of heat, in such a manner that an optimum coupling takes place it is suggested that the flat side of the solid-state body be coupled mechanically and thermally to the support surface by an adhesive layer which is produced from an adhesive which passes from a liquid state into a solid, cross-linked state essentially invariant in volume and that the adhesive layer have an active adhesive layer area with a heat resistance of less than 10 K×mm2/W.

Abstract: In order to improve a laser amplifying system comprising a plate-like solid-state body which has two oppositely located flat sides and comprises a laser-active medium, a cooling member with a support surface which is arranged so as to face one of the flat sides of the solid-state body and with which this flat side is thermally coupled for the discharge of heat, in such a manner that an optimum coupling takes place it is suggested that the flat side of the solid-state body be coupled mechanically and thermally to the support surface by an adhesive layer which is produced from an adhesive which passes from a liquid state into a solid, cross-linked state essentially invariant in volume and that the adhesive layer have an active adhesive layer area with a heat resistance of less than 10 K×mm2/W.

Abstract: In order to improve a pumping light source for laser-active media comprising an outer member enclosing a gas discharge medium, a first electrode acting as a cathode and having a first electrode end located within the outer member, a second electrode acting as an anode and having a second electrode end located within the outer member and a gas discharge chamber located within the outer member between the electrode ends facing one another, in such a manner that the service life thereof is longer it is suggested that the first electrode end be essentially cooled by radiation and that a predominantly diffuse gas discharge be formed proceeding from an areally extended surface area located at the first electrode end.

Abstract: In order to improve a laser amplifying system comprising a solid-state member having a laser-active medium, a radiation field system determined by an optical guide means for the radiation field and an actively switchable, optical switching element arranged in the radiation field system for influencing the losses in the radiation field system in such a manner that this is suitable for low-amplification laser-active media, it is suggested that the solid-state member be designed like a thin plate, the radiation field system comprise an incoming branch and an outgoing branch which are coupled to one another, on the one hand, and between which, on the other hand, an amplifying radiation field is provided which is formed from a plurality of intermediate branches which extend between two optical beam reversing elements and, for their part, all penetrate the solid-state member in a direction transverse to its flat sides and within an active volume area, and that the active volume area have in directions transverse to