New Laser Syatem for Precision Processing Applications

This project aims to generate the technology platform for the subsequent development
of a range of competitive new laser products based on a novel planar (slab) laser
architecture, variants of which will closely align with growing market opportunities.
These variants include: 1) picosecond lasers for materials processing (marking,
cutting, drilling, micromachining), based on recent research which shows that psec
laser pulses at~ 1 micron produce high precision results without the detrimental
thermal effects seen with standard laser processing; 2) longer pulse eye-safe ~2micron
lasers for targeted marking and medical applications. RSUL is the leading European
supplier of compact slab lasers based on gas discharges, and is ideally positioned to
enter this market by extending its slab laser technology to diode pumped solid state
lasers, building expertise by close linkage with the world-class skills in planar solid
state lasers of its HWU partners. To achieve this, we propose a strategic mix of 53%
industrial research and 4 7% pre-competitive development in a coordinated programme
structured to generate the underpinning laser/production technology for the future
development of a new family oflasers (at SOW, lOOW, 300W) which are
competitive/superior in performance and reliability against current offerings. We
propose to develop novel planar oscillator/amplifier designs with high efficiency
diode pump modules, low M2 resonators and advanced low cost fabrication
technologies.