Specialty Optical Fibers Handbook

technology, carbon dioxide lasers, or YAG lasers, it is expected that with the

reduced cost of high power pump diodes, high power fiber laser systems may

prove to be a ‘‘disruptive’’ technology. We expect that industrial laser applica-

tions will grow significantly over the next few years. The specialty fibers needed in

fiber lasers and their industrial applications are covered in detail in Chapter 22.

In biomedical applications, the advantages of fibers are easy to enumerate.

A silica fiber is biologically inert, its small size allows it to enter the body as a

catheter go to any place in the blood system to remove plaque, unclog arteries, or

remove cysts. This is clearly a growing area of applications and one where new

developments should be expected. ...