High-Power Laser Technologies

Level: Intermediate Length: 4 hours Format: In-Person Lecture Intended Audience: Scientists, engineers, technicians, or R&D managers who wish to learn more about high-power laser technologies and how to compare them. A basic familiarity with the technical foundations of laser technology is assumed. Description: This course starts with an overview on competing technologies for high-power solid-state laser sources, including bulk lasers, amplified and fiber-based sources. The primary topic is the analysis of performance potentials of different technologies in situations with different boundary conditions, such as continuous-wave operation with no restrictions or with high beam quality and/or a limited emission bandwidth, and the generation of intense laser pulses with nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond durations. In this context, the concept of power scaling is given a meaningful basis, and scaling considerations are demonstrated in example cases. Learning Outcomes: This course will enable you to: - name different laser technologies for the generation of high optical powers or pulse energies - identify the basic physical performance limitations for different laser types - describe a methodology for comparing performance potentials - explain the principle of power scaling, and apply scaling considerations to concrete cases Instructor(s): Rüdiger Paschotta is an expert in laser physics, nonlinear optics and fiber technology. He started a career as a researcher and later on founded his company RP Photonics Consulting GmbH, providing technical consultancy and software primarily for companies building or using lasers and related devices. Details are available on the web page https://www.rp-photonics.com/paschotta.html. Event: SPIE Photonics West 2017 Course Held: 02 February 2017