3SAE Laser Processing Station (LPS)
The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is an optical fiber glass processing system designed to remove cladding light, also referred to as cladding modes, by creating a series of ablations along the optical fibers’ cladding utilizing a CO₂ Laser. The Laser Processing Station is capable of making multiple ablations at 0 and 90 degrees over a length of 120mm and supports cladding diameters from 80 microns to over 2 millimeters in diameter.
The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is used primarily for mode stripping or removing light from the cladding of optical fibers for the purposes of manufacturing high power laser systems, but not limited to high power applications. The Laser Processing Station (LPS) is also capable of stripping single-mode core light that may propagate into the cladding “clean” or strip the light from the cladding by laser ablation when polymers and traditional coatings are insufficient.
- Features an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) activated magnetic door lock that provides a holding force of 500 newton or 112 pounds to the access door.
- The LPS software package includes both engineer and operator specific access. The engineer has full control over recipe development and all parameters related to the ablation process while the operator has a simplified user interface with minimal control.
- Automated fiber positioning in X/Y/Z/Theta/Focus
- Ablation positioning in the “Z” axis with increasing etch spacing control that can be utilized to control power distribution over the length of the etched window.
- Ablation positioning in the “Z” axis with increasing etch depth control that can be utilized to provide power distribution over the length of the etched window.
- Automated fiber processing at fiber rotation positions of 0° and 90°
- Supports fiber etching by moving the left and right stages in “X” simultaneously.
- Supports fiber etching by pivoting CO₂ laser across the fiber.
- Fiber holder compatible with standard 3SAE Combiner Manufacturing Station (CMS) fiber holders.
- Contamination free heat source.
- Automatic laser temperature control.
- Class 1 10-watt CO₂ laser
- RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) magnetic interlock utilizes 50 newtons of holding force to ensure closed door laser operations.
- RFID, Laser power, laser shutter, and E-Stop are monitored and controlled using 3SAE’s Laser Safety Circuit Board. This board controls the state of the shutter depending on the state of the access door, the shutter is “fail-safe” closed.
- High resolution vision system with 2 camera automated alignment
- High performance stand-alone computing
- Up to 120mm fiber ablation processing window
- Up to 90° of theta rotation
- Up to 1500µm fiber diameter
- Fiber positioning in X/Y/Z/theta
