We all know that fiber laser diodes have always been very demanding, so do you know how to make fiber laser diodes? Where are fiber laser diodes used and what are their advantages?

Many high-precision devices are inseparable from a small thing-fiber laser diode. Although it is small, it has a great effect. I went to a metal cutting factory two years ago, and they used fiber laser equipment. The master showed me how to cut thick steel plates with this tool. The speed and smoothness of the incision really made me call it "awesome". Later, I learned that the key component inside is the fiber laser diode.

Let's talk about why it is respected by everyone. First, the energy conversion efficiency is high. Generally speaking, it can "squeeze" more laser power for you with the same power consumption, saving electricity and protecting the environment. Second, small size and long service life. The master of the factory told me that the old equipment they used to use had to be shut down for repair every three days, but now it is replaced by a fiber laser source, and the machine can work for several months without any problems. Third, the beam quality is good. It means that the laser is thinner and easier to focus, and the cutting and marking effect is naturally more beautiful. Another advantage cannot be ignored, that is, the maintenance cost is low. After all, enterprises are very concerned about the cost.

So how did it do it? In fact, to put it bluntly, fiber laser diode takes semiconductor laser chip as "seed light source", and then transmits and amplifies it through optical fiber, and finally gets the strong laser we want. The chip will emit laser first, and then enter the optical fiber doped with rare earth elements (such as ytterbium ions), where photons will be reflected back and forth, all the way to be "amplified", and finally the high-power laser will come out of the optical fiber.

It sounds mysterious, but in fact, the core is the stress on materials and technology. The chip is stable, the optical fiber is pure and the coupling technology is accurate. In the past, domestic manufacturers could not handle the processing of optical fiber end face, and often accidentally burned the whole optical fiber, which caused a lot of losses. Now that the technology is mature, many manufacturers can do the whole process themselves, such as laser marking machines and laser cutting machines.

One case that impressed me deeply was an auto parts factory, which replaced the traditional electric welding with the welding equipment made of fiber laser diode. It turns out that it takes five or six minutes to weld a small part, which is inefficient and the weld joint is not beautiful enough. After changing the fiber laser equipment, a part can be finished in tens of seconds, and almost no rework is needed. The boss calculated an account and saved millions of dollars in labor and repair costs a year.

Therefore, the advantages of fiber laser diode don't just stay in the laboratory or parameter table, it really affects the efficiency of the factory, the quality of products, and even changes the production mode of the whole industry. Small light, when gathered together, has great energy, which is why it is paid more and more attention.