High-power lasers for material processing are currently available with several kW of average power. Depending on the laser specification and target application, fiber types may vary from PM single-mode LMA fibers up to multi-mode delivery cables with large cores. As a world-leading manufacturer of high-power capable fiber components, FiberBridge Photonics offers special high-end solutions for all these fiber types, ranging from monolithic kW-class endcaps or ultra-precise collimators that allow safe and robust beam delivery to the processing area. By using an all-glass solution for collimation or focusing, the environmental and mechanical robustness of the processing head is drastically increased.

Novel concepts like monolithic kW-class fiber arrays enable new concepts like coherent or incoherent beam combining or innovative approaches such as multi-beam laser material processing. These technologies offer significant advantages over single-beam methods by using multiple laser beams simultaneously, thus increasing the intensity or distinct patterns on the target. This parallel processing dramatically increases throughput and productivity, enabling faster processing of large areas and higher production rates in industries like electronics, automotive and aerospace. The full power of a kW laser can either be distributed over a large number of individual channels, or several laser sources can be used to boost the average power even further. Ultrafast control of the individual beamlets from the array allows for flexible pattern generation with precise energy distribution that can minimize heat-affected zones and thermal distortion, leading to improved material removal and tailored material interactions. This can be crucial for processing advanced materials like composites and in micro-/nano-fabrication.

Multi-beam systems also expand application possibilities, including ultrafast beam shaping by controlling the phase relation of the individual channels within the array. Flat top or donut profiles can be applied as well as wavefront corrections to optimize the quality and yield of the manufacturing process.