High-brightness high-power fiber coupled diode laser system for material processing and laser pumping

YAG lasers have been the only practical choice for high power fiber coupled lasers in the kilowatt and above range. In recent years, however, high power diode laser systems have made inroads into the high power fiber coupled laser arena. In the past, fiber coupled high power diode laser systems have suffered from either sub-par power levels or poor beam quality (i.e. large fiber diameters with large Numerical Apertures). This paper presents a high brightness high power fiber coupled diode laser system that rivals some YAG systems. This system will deliver 1000W of power to the work piece through a 1000 micron 0.20 NA (100 mm-mrad) fiber at a single wavelength. With a wide spectrum of commercially available wavelengths, this system can be optimized for material processing or laser pumping applications (being ideally suited to the end pumping of high power fiber lasers).