Frequently Asked Questions

Flowtubes and Filter Flowtubes combine and integrate in one solid optical element attributes and technical characteristics necessary to perform simultaneously the following functions: (a) cooling duct for both lamp(s) and laser rod(s); (b) filtering-absorbing undesired UV radiation, thus protecting the rod from long term solarization; (c) attenuating “lateral depumping” effects i.e. energy losses caused by the rod’s side emission, by absorbing it and preventing its back-reflection.

Flowtubes and Filter Flowtubes are machined out of a block or a rod of carefully selected materials, un-doped or doped with the appropriate rare earth or metal ions, depending on the filtering results we are looking after and on the state of the available doping/filtering optical materials technology.

In case of Samarium and Europium doped Glass, because this material is relatively fragile, we apply chemical hardening of its surface by ion exchange following strict instructions of glass manufacturer Company.

Flowtubes satisfy only the first function of cooling duct for both lamp(s) and laser rod(s) while Filter Flowtubes may satisfy the first two or all three of the functions.

For Flowtubes, Duran and Quartz Glass are the materials of choice, while YAG and Sapphire can also be used for very harsh conditions.

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