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Lasers and Photonics Applications group
 
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Welcome the Lasers and Photonics Applications (LPA) group home page
The Lasers and Photonics Applications Group is situated in the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Heriot-Watt University, Scotland; and is headed by Professor Howard J Baker. The group currently consists of two academic staff, three research associates and four PhD students - details of whom can be found on the Contact Us page.
About us

Our group formed in 1987 with the arrival of professors Hall and Baker at Heriot-Watt University. Early on the LPA group made pioneering contributions in the gas laser field with the creation of a radically new laser design concept, based on large area, ‘thin’ gain media operating at very high power densities. This resulted in much-improved technology for CO2 lasers, which has been exploited for key industrial applications in laser material processing.

The LPA group has since collaborated actively with all three international CO2-laser companies (Coherent Inc, Lumonics Ltd, and Rofin-Sinar GmbH) who now commercially produce and market both planar waveguide laser devices and industrial manufacturing systems based on this laser technology. Total sales of lasers and systems depending on these lasers exceeds $900M.

Current projects

Today, our research is conducted under the auspices of the Heriot-Watt University Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre (HW-IMRC). Currently projects, which are funded by the IMRC, include:

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