Ultrafast fiber lasers: alternative light sources for industrial material processing

The development of ultrashort pulse laser technology will have a strong impact on the advancement of laser machining. Ultrashort laser pulses can reduce the heat-affected zone and the shock-affected zone, resulting in much cleaner cuts, and therefore higher precision. However, acceptance of ultrafast technology is hindered by the cost and complexity of ultrafast lasers. In this paper, we describe recent progress in fiber-based ultrafast laser technology which promises to be sufficiently rugged and low-cost to enter the industrial arena. We also discuss results of micromachining using a sub-nanosecond laser pulses from a new Yb:fiber- based laser system.