About The Fiber Laser Source; Federal Communications Commission (Fcc) Notice - Epilog Fusion M2 32 Manual

SECTION 15: SPECIFICATIONS

About the Fiber Laser Source

The fiber laser source generates a laser beam by pumping intense diode light into the end of fiber optic cables that have
been doped with ytterbium. The energy from the diode light is absorbed by the ytterbium in the fiber optic cables. The
ytterbium then releases the energy in the form of photons that travel down the optic cables. The photons that leave the
optic cables create the laser beam. The wavelength of light generated from a fiber laser is 1062 nm.
The fiber laser source generates laser light by pumping intense diode light into fiber optics cables that are doped with
the rare-earth element, ytterbium (Yb3+), which is referred to as the medium or gain medium. As this diode light energy
travels into the fiber optic cable, it energizes the electrons in the ytterbium and the ytterbium electrons go from a ground
or stable state, to an excited state.
Essentially, all that is happening in this first step is that the electrons in the medium are absorbing and storing the energy
that's coming from the external energy source (diodes). For reference, the CO2 medium is the CO2 gas in the tube, and the
external energy source is RF electrical current. In the fiber laser (and also most YAG lasers these days and YVO lasers) the
external energy source is a laser diode.
The electrons in the medium don't really want to store the external energy they've absorbed, so they emit the extra energy
by releasing a photon (a quantum packet of light). Once a photon has been emitted by one electron in the medium it
stimulates other excited electrons to also emit photons, creating a chain reaction where the absorption and emission of
energy is at a constant rate. The photons travel through the optic fibers and some are released through the end of the
fibers as the laser beam.
By continually pumping energy into a medium, that medium tries to shed the excess energy by emitting photons. The
type of medium is important because different mediums absorb different types of energy (for instance, a CO2 gas
medium is not going to absorb the energy from a diode in a way that will make the CO2 gas lase). Different mediums
also emit different wavelengths of photons, and hence, the different properties of different wavelength lasers.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Notice

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can
radiate radio frequency energy; and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference, in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his/her own expense.
- 182 -
About the Fiber Laser Source