Fianium's new US applications lab aims to prove materials-processing superiority of ultrafast fiber lasers

Ultrafast fiber laser manufacturer Fianium (Southampton, England) has opened a new, US-based micro-materials processing applications lab. Fianium established the facility to enable work with OEMs in testing material samples and to highlight the processing results attainable with its picosecond fiber lasers. Fianium aims to prove that ultrafast fiber lasers are superior for materials processing of a diverse range of targets, including materials--such as polymers, glasses, organic tissue and reflective metals--that have historically proven difficult to process using conventional DPSS lasers.

Fianium has partnered with photonics engineering services provider Summit Photonics to set up the facility in Summit's hometown of Portland, OR. Summit is led by 25-year industry veteran Dr. Brian Baird who, according to Fianuim, has pioneered multiple generations of industry-leading solid state photonics solutions for laser processing of microelectronics, semiconductors, and photovoltaic devices during his career at Summit Photonics and Electro Scientific Industries (ESI). Baird's expert guidance is an ongoing asset for customers using the facility, the company says.

In addition to proving ultrafast fiber lasers as an efficient alternative to traditional laser solutions, the combined expertise and experience of the Fianium and Summit Photonics teams will be central to the facility's ability to pioneer advanced ultrafast fiber lasers processing applications.

Fianium's portfolio of ultrafast picosecond and femtosecond fiber laser products yield uniquely flexible pulse energy, pulse duration and repetition rates and are capable of supporting applications as diverse as eye surgery and glass panel scribing. The inherent flexibility, unique to fiber lasers, makes Fianium's ultrafast products suited to process materials.

Commenting on the opening of the new facility, Fianium's founder and CEO Anatoly Grudinin said Fianium's offerings provide advanced, compact, efficient and maintenance-free alternatives to incumbent gas and solid state lasers. "The new applications lab combines Fianium's expertise with that of Summit Photonics to offer laser users in industrial markets around the world the unequivocal proof that they can complete specific tasks quicker, better and more cost effectively via our ultrafast picosecond and femtosecond fibre laser products," he said.

In addition to accepted applications for lasers like micromaching and photovoltaics, Grudinin says he is "a firm believer that we're currently only scratching the surface in terms of ultrafast lasers' potential. There is no doubt that many applications are yet to be envisioned, but through our facility I believe we have a means to test and help drive new applications to fruition."

For more information see Fianium's website. For details on Summit Photonics, see that company's site.