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The high power diode laser systems with their laser diode bars and arrays not only require special fibers to couple directly to the diode emitters, but also require special fibers to couple from the laser to the application sites. These power delivery fibers are much larger than the internal fibers, but must be flexible, and have not only good strength but also good fatigue behavior. This is particularly important for industrial systems using robotic arms or robots to apply the high power laser energy to the treatment site. The optical properties of hard plastic clad silica (HPCS) fibers are well suited for the needs of delivery of high power from diode laser bars and arrays to an application site. New formulations for HPCS fibers have been developed which have demonstrated fibers with good mechanical strength in preliminary tests. A systematic study has been undertaken to determine the strength and fatigue behavior of three 'new' HPCS fibers and to compare them with results for earlier HPCS fibers. Benefits of stronger median dynamic strengths and tighter flaw distributions have been found. Short to medium length time to failure results, indicate that the static fatigue parameters of the new high numerical aperture (NA) optical fibers are at least as good as those for standard NA HPCS fibers, which is an advance from previous results on the older formulation clad fibers. |
