Patent ID: 7885311

Claim:
A fiber-based laser system, comprising: a fiber laser system having a laser head and a head end, said fiber laser system comprising a gain fiber to amplify a laser pulse, and a pulse compressor optically coupled to said gain fiber to compress a width of a pulse amplified with said gain fiber; a beam steering device, disposed between an output of said gain fiber and said head end, said beam steering device configured in such a way that a compressed and amplified output beam being emitted from said head end is stabilized in one or more of position and angle by controlling said beam steering device; a position-sensitive sensor onto which at least a portion of an output of said laser is incident, said position sensitive sensor configured to provide a signal for use in a feedback apparatus that controls said beam steering device; and an end-use apparatus to which said fiber-based laser system is optically coupled, said end-use apparatus disposed beyond said head end, said end use apparatus comprising a system controller to receive an output derived from said position-sensitive sensor and to generate a command for said controlling of said beam steering device, said command being generated in said end use apparatus and communicated to said beam steering device through a communication interface between said end use apparatus and said laser head, wherein said fiber-based laser system is configured such that said beam steering device is controllable by said system controller.