Abstract: A handheld laser system. In certain examples the handheld laser system includes a laser source emitting laser light at a wavelength for performing a material processing operation on a workpiece material with a laser beam of the emitted laser light, a plasma sensor configured to detect plasma emitted from the workpiece material during a material processing operation, and a controller coupled to the plasma sensor and configured to: compare an optical intensity value obtained by the plasma sensor to a threshold value at a time when a predetermined time period has elapsed after the material processing operation has commenced, and produce a control command based on the comparison.

Abstract: A laser system includes a high voltage AC-to-DC power converter and one or more current sources coupled to the power converter without a DC-to-DC converter between the current sources and the power converter. Each of the current sources includes a high voltage switch and one or more independent safety shutoffs. A laser module is operably coupled to the one or more current source and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation wherein the one or more safety shutoffs are configured to disable emission of electromagnetic radiation from the laser module when triggered. A current source controller coupled to the safety shutoff(s) is configured to generate enabling signals that enable normal current source operation. The controller includes circuitry configured to measure power across the high voltage switch when the controller instructs the high voltage switch to turn off to determine proper operation of the safety shutoff(s).

Abstract: A laser system comprising high voltage AC-to-DC power converter and one or more current sources coupled to the high voltage AC-to-DC power converter without a DC-to-DC converter between the one or more current sources and the AC-to-DC power source. Each of the one or more current sources includes a high voltage switch and one or more independent safety shutoffs. A laser module is operably coupled to the one or more current source and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation wherein the one or more safety shutoffs are configured to disable emission of electromagnetic radiation from the laser module when triggered.

Abstract: A laser system comprising high voltage AC-to-DC power converter and one or more current sources coupled to the high voltage AC-to-DC power converter without a DC-to-DC converter between the one or more current sources and the AC-to-DC power source. Each of the one or more current sources includes a high voltage switch and one or more independent safety shutoffs. A laser module is operably coupled to the one or more current source and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation wherein the one or more safety shutoffs are configured to disable emission of electromagnetic radiation from the laser module when triggered.

Abstract: A high dynamic range projector (HDRP) is configured with at least one spatial light modulator having red, green and blue digital light projector (DPL) chips, a light laser source including red, green and blue (RGB) light laser systems which are operative to illuminate respective DLP chips; and a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the DLP engines and respective RGB light laser systems, wherein the CPU is operative to determine an optimal average power of each of the RGB light laser systems at a frame rate based on a desired contrast ratio.

Abstract: A high dynamic range projector (HDRP) is configured with at least one spatial light modulator having red, green and blue digital light projector (DPL) chips, a light laser source including red, green and blue (RGB) light laser systems which are operative to illuminate respective DLP chips; and a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the DLP engines and respective RGB light laser systems, wherein the CPU is operative to determine an optimal average power of each of the RGB light laser systems at a frame rate based on a desired contrast ratio.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for reducing contamination in the resulting plasma of a weld produced by a fiber laser. The invention establishes the fiber laser in an optimal configuration for applying a high density beam to a weld material that eliminates spectral interference. The beam is applied in a narrow bandwidth of 1064 nm+/?0.5 nm in one operative condition using an inert shielding gas, preferably argon, in a cross-flow or controlled environment around the welding region to prevent contamination of the plasma forming in the weld region. The method is optimized by determining and avoiding the emission spectrum for the fiber laser and the cover gas or gasses as well as any particular excitation spectra for the weld material. The system can utilize a single laser input, or can utilize multiple lasers joined by coupling means and utilizing a switch to select one or more of the fiber lasers.

Abstract: A high power fiber laser system has a combiner configured of a plurality of single mode (SM) fibers which are fused together so as to define an output end of the fiber combiner. The fused SM fibers radiate respective fiber outputs, which collectively define a multimode (MM) combiner output. The SM fibers each are configured with such an optimally small numerical apertures (NA) that the MM combiner output is characterized by a minimally possible beam quality factor (M2) for the plurality of SM fibers. To reduce the possibility of burning of the components of the fiber laser system with a multi-kilowatt combiner output, a coreless termination block is fused to the output end of the fiber combiner and configured so as to provide expansion of the combiner output without modifying the minimally possible M2 factor thereof.

Abstract: A high power fiber laser system has a combiner configured of a plurality of single mode (SM) fibers which are fused together so as to define an output end of the fiber combiner. The fused SM fibers radiate respective fiber outputs, which collectively define a multimode (MM) combiner output. The SM fibers each are configured with such an optimally small numerical apertures (NA) that the MM combiner output is characterized by a minimally possible beam quality factor (M2) for the plurality of SM fibers. To reduce the possibility of burning of the components of the fiber laser system with a multi-kilowatt combiner output, a coreless termination block is fused to the output end of the fiber combiner and configured so as to provide expansion of the combiner output without modifying the minimally possible M2 factor thereof.

Abstract: A high power fiber laser system has a combiner configured of a plurality of single mode (SM) fibers which are fused together so as to define an output end of the fiber combiner. The fused SM fibers radiate respective fiber outputs, which collectively define a multimode (MM) combiner output. The SM fibers each are configured with such an optimally small numerical apertures (NA) that the MM combiner output is characterized by a minimally possible beam quality factor (M2) for the plurality of SM fibers. To reduce the possibility of burning of the components of the fiber laser system with a multi-kilowatt combiner output, a coreless termination block is fused to the output end of the fiber combiner and configured so as to provide expansion of the combiner output without modifying the minimally possible M2 factor thereof.

Abstract: A powerful fiber laser system is configured with at least one gain block. The gain block includes an input fiber guiding a pump light, a multiclad active fiber receiving the pump light so that a major portion is absorbed in the core of the active fiber while a minor portion of the pump light propagates in the inner cladding of the active fiber, and a multiclad output fiber. The multiclad output fiber is configured with a core, guiding a signal lased by the core of the active fiber upon absorption of the major portion of the pump light, an inner cladding receiving the minor portion of the pump light and an outer cladding. The inner and outer claddings of the multiclad output fiber have respective refractive indexes which are selected so that the refractive index of the outer cladding is higher than that one of the inner cladding.

Abstract: A high power fiber laser system has a combiner configured of a plurality of single mode (SM) fibers which are fused together so as to define an output end of the fiber combiner. The fused SM fibers radiate respective fiber outputs, which collectively define a multimode (MM) combiner output. The SM fibers each are configured with such an optimally small numerical apertures (NA) that the MM combiner output is characterized by a minimally possible beam quality factor (M2) for the plurality of SM fibers. To reduce the possibility of burning of the components of the fiber laser system with a multi-kilowatt combiner output, a coreless termination block is fused to the output end of the fiber combiner and configured so as to provide expansion of the combiner output without modifying the minimally possible M2 factor thereof.

Abstract: A powerful fiber laser system is configured with at least one gain block. The gain block includes an input fiber guiding a pump light, a multiclad active fiber receiving the pump light so that a major portion is absorbed in the core of the active fiber while a minor portion of the pump light propagates in the inner cladding of the active fiber, and a multiclad output fiber. The multiclad output fiber is configured with a core, guiding a signal lased by the core of the active fiber upon absorption of the major portion of the pump light, an inner cladding receiving the minor portion of the pump light and an outer cladding. The inner and outer claddings of the multiclad output fiber have respective refractive indexes which are selected so that the refractive index of the outer cladding is higher than that one of the inner cladding.

Abstract: An optical system includes a launching component radiating a beam of light at a fixed power, a specialty component, which receives the beam and is configured with a transverse mode field diameter different from that one of the launching component, and a focusing component substantially losslessly coupled to the launching and receiving components. The focusing component is configured so that the effective area of mode at the input of the receiving component determines the intensity of light inducing at least one nonlinear effect at the desired threshold.