Annular-core photonic crystal fibers for laser material processing, beam shaping and biomedical imaging

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There is a burgeoning transformation in the optics & photonics world driven by old and new applications that benefit from a beam of light with the shape of an annular ring. Current methods of generating and delivering such annular beams mostly rely on a complex arrangement of maintenance-intensive and bulky optical components that inhibits industrial adoption. To address this issue, a novel type of optical fiber called "annular-core photonic crystal fiber" (AC-PCF) has been developed. The AC-PCF allows the efficient generation and delivery of singularly annular beams at all input wavelengths - a unique feature - in a simple, flexible, compact and cost-effective manner. The AC-PCF is thus uniquely tailored to deliver high-quality annular beams over a very wide bandwidth and for a variety of applications. In this project, we focus on three rapidly growing segments of the optics & photonics industry that can immediately benefit from the AC-PCF: laser material processing, light beam shaping and super-resolution microscopy. With the collaboration of three leading photonic industrials, we propose in this project to fabricate, test and validate the commercial potential of this fiber-optic technology within fiber-laser material processing and high-resolution fiber-optic microscopy scenarios, in particular. A commercialization strategy is also outlined for the intellectual protection of the technology and its eventual transfer to potential industrial end-users.