Continuous evolution of 60-year-old laser technology

Sixty years after its inception, laser technology is still steadily evolving and a large number of industrial applications have been developed over this period. In recent years, institutes and manufacturers have presented a tsunami of innovations around this powerful source of light, regarding knowhow, technology and practices. For laser-based materials processing, the continuous evolution towards shorter wavelengths stands out, as opening up a wide ‘supply’ of dedicated wavelengths fitting major contemporary practical purposes. Furthermore, laser quality has increased, efficiency has surpassed 50% and performance has improved spectacularly even with a decreasing laser footprint, while functionality expanded considerably in micro- as well as macro-applications. This Mikroniek article presents an overview.