NONDIODE LASERS
In July 1998, Polaroid (Waltham, MA) introduced the PFL 15000 laser system, which uses Polaroid`s double-clad fiber as a gain medium to achieve 15 W of continuous-wave (CW) output from a diode-pumped solid-state laser. This high-power laser, the latest in a series, has been developed in a joint effort with SDL Inc. (San Jose, CA) as an OEM product to enable thermal graphic arts printing. The laser is air-cooled and operates on 24 V dc, which contrasts with competing technology that requires chilled water and significant electrical power. This product will meet the needs of graphic arts systems manufacturers, who have been waiting for a viable high-power laser source to help create a thermal graphic arts market. The PFL 15000 can be easily integrated into existing hardware and enables throughput comparable to traditional silver halide materials. The market potential for this type of laser is several thousand per year, and it has already been designed into the equipment of several systems manufacturers.