Gsi Group Corporation

Spi Lasers UK Limited

Trumpf Laser Uk. Limited

Iain Botheroyd

Stephen Keen

Malcolm Paul Varnham

Mikhail Nickolaos Zervas

Christophe Andre Codemard

Steffan Lewis

Andrew Malinowski

Glyn Edwards

Stephen John Keen

Cheng Li

Stephen Moore

Apparatus for laser processing a material (), comprising a laser (), an optical fibre (), and a coupler (), wherein: the laser () is connected to the optical fibre (); the optical fibre () is a multimode optical fibre having a first optical mode () having a first mode order (), a second optical mode () having a second mode order (), and a third optical mode () having a third mode order (); the third mode order () is higher than the second mode order () which is higher than the first mode order (); the coupler () switches laser radiation propagating in the first optical mode () to laser radiation propagating in the second optical mode (); and the coupler () switches the laser radiation propagating in the second optical mode () to laser radiation propagating in the third optical mode ().

Apparatus and method for laser processing a material

An apparatus for laser processing a material including an optical fibre, at least one squeezing mechanism, and a lens. The optical fibre is a multimode optical fibre in which laser radiation propagates in a first optical mode and in a second optical mode. The squeezing mechanism includes at least one periodic surface defined by a pitch. The periodic surface is located adjacent to the optical fibre. The pitch couples the first and second optical modes together. The first optical mode is defined by a first mode order. The second optical mode is defined by a second mode order which is higher than the first mode order. The squeezing mechanism squeezes the periodic surface and optical fibre together with a squeezing force thereby coupling the first optical mode to the second optical mode.

An apparatus for combining optical radiation, wherein the apparatus comprises a bundle of input optical fibers formed of glass, a taper, and an output optical fiber, wherein the taper is fused to the output optical fiber; and the apparatus comprises at least one cladding mode stripper to strip out higher order modes that would otherwise degrade a polymer coating on at least one of the input optical fibers and the output optical fiber.

Apparatus for combining optical radiation

An optical combiner (), comprising a bundle of input fibers () spliced to an output fiber (), the output fiber having a cladding and at least one high-index portion within the cladding, such that the high index portion has a diameter substantially equal to or less than the outer diameter of the input fiber bundle at the splice point.

Fiber optical laser combiner

A termination for an optical fiber is disclosed, including an end cap optically connected to a delivery end of the fiber and tapering its towards its proximal end so as to expand the signal beam output by the fiber, a capillary having a bore mounted so that the end cap and an end portion of the delivery fiber are mounted within the bore, the capillary having an end which is angled so as to reflect undesired radiation within the capillary away from the fiber, and a cladding mode stripper arranged upstream of the delivery end.

System for delivering the output from an optical fibre

A fibre laser system is disclosed comprising an optical fibre, a part of which is doped with a rare earth to form an optical gain medium; at least one laser diode; means for applying pump radiation from the laser diode to the optical gain medium and for generating a laser beam and delivery fibre means for delivering a laser beam to a workpiece, wherein the fibre laser is provided with at least one means for protecting one or more components from damage caused by errant radiation. Several different means of protection are disclosed.

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Rugby, United Kingdom

Iain Botheroyd