JK Lasers, Rugby, Warwickshire, UK, has released a mode converter fiber coupler (MCFC) to provide further flexibility to users of JK fiber lasers.
The MCFC takes a Gaussian profile single mode fiber input from any of the JK fiber lasers and couples it into a JK LuminatorTM fiber, allowing for the use of the full range of JK fiber lasers with JK Luminator process tools.
The output from the JK Luminator fiber has a uniform "flat-top" beam profile and a beam diameter of 150 to 600 µm depending on the configuration selected by the user. Focused spot sizes in the range of 60 to1500 µm can be selected by use of the appropriate JK Luminator process tools.Use of the MCFC can bring real processing advantages to welding applications where the profile and small spot size of the Gaussian beam are not optimal, such as butt welding parts with fit-up tolerances larger than the Gaussian spot size or thin foil welding, where high intensity on-axis can lead to burn through in the weld centers. Having a detachable output fiber, with JK Lasers’ plug-in pre-aligned (PIPA) technology for rapid changeovers, allows the MCFC to offer increased versatility for the JK fiber laser.