We report the influence of higher order modes (HOMs) in large mode fibers operation in Q-switched oscillator configurations at ~2 μm wavelength. S(2) measurements confirm guiding of LP(11) and LP(02) fiber modes in a large mode area (LMA) step-index fiber, whereas a prototype photonic crystal fiber (PCF) provides nearly single-mode performance with a small portion of light in the LP(11) mode. T...

This paper summarizes the state of the art of direct metal laser-sintering (DMLS) in 2004, put into perspective by a review of its history from its roots in the 1970s, and discusses the trends going into the future. Since the 1970s, DMLS has evolved from an idea to a powerful commercial technology. The "family tree" of DMLS is explained with reference to related methods such as laser-cladding, ...

Here we report a compact monolithic 2000nm pulsed laser with a single spatial mode output, ~1.5ns pulse duration, 8kW peak power and >200mW average power at 20 kHz repetition rate. The gain-switched laser, consisting of a pair of fiber Bragg gratings and 0.5m of thulium-doped single cladding fiber, was core pumped by a high peak power pulsed 1.5 m laser. When the input pulse energy of the 20 kH...

We report the demonstration of the first, to our knowledge, cladding-pumped continuous-wave Yb(3+)-doped phosphate-glass fiber laser. Phosphate hosts are of interest because they can be much more heavily doped than silica, and because of the possibility that they may have a higher photodarkening threshold. In an 84.6 cm double-clad fiber doped with 12 wt. % of Yb(2)O(3) and laser-diode pumped a...

We demonstrate a Single-Mode (SM) Large-Mode-Area (LMA) ytterbium-doped PCF rod fiber laser with stable and close to diffraction limited beam quality with 110W output power. Distributed-Mode-Filtering (DMF) elements integrated in the cladding of the rod fiber provide a robust spatial mode with a Mode-Field-Diameter (MFD) of 59μm. We further demonstrate high pulse energy Second-Harmonic-Generati...

The benefits of the integration of novel optofluidic elements, e.g., fluidic lenses and liquid-core / liquid-cladding (L2) waveguides, for on-chip optical sample analysis are discussed. Using properly designed microfluidic channels, pre-calculated flow rate ratios and transparent fluids with different refractive indices but similar viscosity novel fluidic optical elements can be created. In thi...