Enabling High-Power Laser Performance through Advanced Optics

As laser applications advance toward higher power levels, optical components must evolve to meet stringent requirements for reflectivity, laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDT), and thermal stability.

Laser optics are key components in every laser processing system, especially in the high-power laser regime for applications like cutting, welding, or additive manufacturing as well as various medical laser therapies. They guide the laser beam from the source to the workpiece while preserving the beam quality. Additionally, real-time process monitoring has become essential for ensuring quality assurance and traceability during production. As a result, high-precision diagnostic optics are playing a growing role in monitoring the laser-material interaction and enabling advanced process control. This requires optics with the highest reflectivity and damage threshold, which is currently driving the development of complex optical interference coatings.

This presentation highlights how modern optical coating technologies are being developed and optimized to address these growing challenges in diverse applications. Key topics include the selection of suitable coating methods, in-line process monitoring during the coating process and novel approaches such as post-deposition annealing to enhance coating performance and durability under extreme high-power laser operating conditions.

About the presenter
Hansjörg Rohde, Ph.D., studied mechanical engineering at the University of Stuttgart, specializing in production engineering and laser technology. He completed his doctorate at LASAG in Switzerland in cooperation with the University of Stuttgart. From 2000 to 2015, he worked at Carl BAASEL Lasertechnik GmbH & Co KG in Starnberg, a subsidiary of the ROFIN Group, as technology and application manager for CO2 systems in the Micro division. From 2016, he was product line manager at Coherent with global responsibility for the CO2 system products. After working at Messer Cutting Systems as a product manager for laser cutting machines, he has been product manager for optics and fiber optic assemblies at Laser Components since 2023.