Conclusion

Over the course of a few decades, fiber lasers have established themselves as the benchmark technology for generating high optical power, in both continuous-wave and pulsed modes. Their success is based on intrinsic advantages— –, high energy efficiency, excellent thermal management, beam quality, compactness, and robustness – —that distinguish them from free-space laser architectures and explain their widespread adoption in industrial, scientific, and strategic fields.

The rise of fiber lasers was made possible by the close co-evolution of optical fibers, power components, and laser architectures. Double-clad fibers formed the initial technological foundation, while the development of large-modal-area fibers, followed by advanced microstructured fibers (rod-type, LPF, tapered fibers) has made it possible to gradually push the limits in terms of average power, energy...