What Is It?
The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is an optical fiber glass processing system designed to remove cladding light, also referred to as cladding modes, by creating a series of ablations along the optical fibers’ cladding utilizing a CO₂ Laser. The Laser Processing Station is capable of making multiple ablations at 0 and 90 degrees over a length of 120mm and supports cladding diameters from 80 microns to over 2 millimeters in diameter.
The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is used primarily for mode stripping or removing light from the cladding of optical fibers for the purposes of manufacturing high power laser systems, but not limited to high power applications. The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is also capable of stripping single-mode core light that may propagate into the cladding “clean” or strip the light from the cladding by laser ablation when polymers and traditional coatings are insufficient.
Why Is It Better?
CO₂ Ablations are small notches or etches that act as deformities in the optical fibers’ cladding through which light can be removed in a controlled manner based on the number of etches, etch periods, and etch depths. In addition, these ablations can increase in depth or maintain the same depth and increase in spatial lengths (periods) to scatter the light over the total etch window in an increasing or decreasing manner. The Laser Processing Station (LPS) can also ablate or etch the cladding at 0 and 90 degrees (perpendicular to the axis of the fiber). All program parameters are controlled through a production friendly user interface that allow for ease of use.
The Laser Processing Station (LPS) provides a faster and safer method for removing cladding light unlike traditional methods that require the use of hydrofluoric acid. The Laser Processing System (LPS) also utilizes vision to quantify the result by scanning the O.D. of the optical fiber post etching process. The Laser Processing System (LPS) was designed for production environments which is evident in the simplistic streamlined design, simplified GUI (graphical user interface), proven electronics, and redundant electrical and mechanical safeties
