Today, LIA has joined forces with other major physics societies, which support physical science researchers with the publication of more than 75,000 peer-reviewed journal articles each year, to show our commitment to open access (OA) for physics research.
This group comprises 16 societies: the Acoustical Society of America, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the American Astronomical Society, the American Crystallographic Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Institute of Physics, American Physical Society, AVS Science & Technology of Materials, Interfaces, and Processes, the Chinese Physical Society, European Physical Society, Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine, the Laser Institute of America, The Optical Society (OSA), The Society of Rheology.
In a joint statement ‘Achieving greater open access in physics’, the societies detail how they have long embraced open science and OA to research results. Their proactive engagement, such as the launch of high-quality OA journals, switching hybrid journals to full OA and establishing transformative agreements, has contributed to an average annual growth in OA physics articles of more than 25%, compared with an overall average annual growth in physics articles of around 2%.
Having supported open publishing in physics for decades, the group’s common ambition is that all OA models provide financially sustainable support for author choice and the quality of peer-review and publication upon which excellent physics research relies.
The statement highlights how policies, such as the proposed cOAlition S Rights Retention Strategy, could undermine the viability of high-quality hybrid journals and the important role they play in balancing OA expansion with the researcher’s freedom to publish where they choose. It stresses the need for broader international financial support for OA to be in place before hybrid journals can fully transition, pointing out that adjustments to the global flow of funding will take time.
The group also acknowledges the strong culture of sharing results before peer review via preprint platforms and calls for funders to increase their recognition and encouragement for this practice in physics as a complement to peer-reviewed journal publication.
The joint statement is a call for a pragmatic, inclusive and sustainable approach to OA. It is also a commitment, as major physics societies representing the interests of their communities, to work together to make it happen.
Please introduce yourself and what you do at EKSPLA.
Aldas Juronis, Head OEM lasers program
We understand that you are the Platinum sponsor this year at ICALEO. What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
Although we prefer the face to face interaction from a live event, we understand that right now we have an unordinary situation with the pandemic, and we are making our efforts to find new and different ways of communication with our customers. Being active in participation and sponsorship of virtual conferences, such as ICALEO 2020, is one of those ways we have started to exploit from the beginning of global pandemic.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
ICALEO is an important event for us, because it is one of the biggest in the field of laser applications for processing of different materials. In our portfolio we have number of industrial grade lasers: NL200 and NL230 series nanosecond lasers for micromachining and LIBS, Atlantic series picosecond lasers for black marking and micromachining, FemtoLux series femtosecond lasers for multiphoton photopolymerization, glass marking and micromachining. While attending at ICALEO we have opportunity to meet with scientists and application engineers, find out new areas and trends of laser material processing, and to present our developments on new laser sources.
Has EKSPLA been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
The whole world is impacted by the pandemic, and Ekspla is no exception. Fortunately, this impact has not been as big for us, because we have diversified markets both business and geographic. In the beginning of the year we felt lower activity from our customers in China, as they were the first to face a complete lock down, our customers in other markets were still active. However, after a few months the situation changed and we saw a slowdown from our customers in Europe and US, while the Chinese market has started to recover. From a business perspective, our major revenue is still coming from scientific customers which were less affected in terms of spending, comparing to industrial ones. Of course, due to the pandemic, some decisions by our customers are not made as quickly as before, with some decisions being delayed or postponed.
From another perspective, the virus spread in Lithuania was managed well. Therefore, Ekspla’s operations in general weren’t affected, which allowed us to continue our new products development.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that EKSPLA will make moving forward?
Yes, and it actually it changed quite a lot of things we do. First of all, we noticed that distance meetings in some cases can replace live ones. Another important point is that due to traveling restrictions, products should require minimal efforts for installations and servicing.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
I think the biggest effect is that it helped us to learn new ways in contacting with customers and partners. In addition, it helped us to review process and products, to make them more self-servicing.
Is EKSPLA currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
We have chosen ICALEO to introduce our newest upcoming industrial laser; our 30 W FemtoLux30 femtosecond laser that could work 24/7/365 without any interruptions. Typically, other lasers with high optical power use water for cooling, which means an additional bulky and heavy water chiller is needed which require periodical maintenance (cooling system draining and rinsing, water and particle filter replacement, etc…). Moreover, in the unfortunate event of water leakage, not only can the laser head be damaged, but also the more expensive equipment. Our FemtoLux30 laser uses an innovative direct refrigerant cooling (DRC) method that does not contain any water inside the laser head, and it is much more efficient. Another advantage is that the laser cooling equipment is integrated together with the power supply unit into a single 4U rack mounted housing with a total weight of just <15kg.
The FemtoLux30 laser has a tunable pulse duration from <350fs to 1ps and can operate in very broad AOM controlled range of pulse repetition rate from a single shot to 4MHz, while max energy of >250μJ could be achieved while operating in a burst mode. We believe that the FemtoLux30 laser will be a perfect tool for display and microelectronics manufacturing, as well as for micro processing and marking of brittle materials (glass, sapphire, ceramics), along with the highest quality micro processing of different metals and polymers. While high reliability and zero maintenance requirement will assure uninterrupted laser operation and fast ROI to the end user of the laser equipment.
We will be launching this laser to the market during first half of next year.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
We believe that FemtoLux30 introduces new standards in performance and reliability among higher powered industrial femtosecond lasers.
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
Please introduce yourself and what you do at Lumentum.
My name is Vincent Issier and I’m Director of Product Line Management within the Commercial Lasers Business Unit. I’m currently managing a broad range of laser and component products for applications ranging from metrology to biotech to micromachining and macro-machining. I held various R&D positions and then moved to the product line management position in 2010, either designing lasers or driving micromachining business. I have been attending ICALEO for many years.
We understand that you are the Platinum sponsor this year at ICALEO. What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
At Lumentum, the safety of our employees and communities is a top-priority. We understand the challenging decision to transition ICALEO to a virtual event, but support and align with the conference’s commitment to safety while continuing to move the industry forward.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
ICALEO brings leaders and experts in the laser industry together. It is important for companies like ours to adapt during these unprecedented times to continue to share innovative solutions and ideas. ICALEO has been at the forefront of the industrial laser applications and we are very proud to be supporting this event.
Has Lumentum been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
Like many companies that have internal manufacturing, Lumentum has altered its operations to address the safety of our employees, their families, and our global communities.
Lumentum has adopted signage to support social distancing, provided face coverings and training for proper use, temperature monitoring, and physical modifications to seating configurations and installing no touch faucets, doors, etc. We are also supporting work-from-home for people and functions that can perform their role remotely.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that Lumentum will make moving forward?
The safety of our employees and communities have always been and will remain our top-priority as a company. We will maintain our COVID-19 safety protocols based on our own requirements in addition to local and state government regulations.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
The pandemic has connected and unified our global company through one goal, to ensure the safety of our employees and communities. Through this unprecedented time, we have enhanced our communication to drive transparency and stay connected to the changing needs of our employees.
Is Lumentum currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
We have recently announced a new addition to our picosecond laserseries to address the micromachining market. The higher power PicoBlade™ 3 employs a new design which enables faster processing and improved throughput for micromachining applications including OLED, PCB, semiconductor, metal and solar cell processing.
Lumentum ultrafast lasers are known for their excellent beam quality, high pulse-to-pulse stability, and long-term output power stability. These characteristics are also built into the PicoBlade 3, but now at significantly higher power (up to 50 W at 355 nm). Available in IR, green, and UV wavelengths, the PicoBlade 3 also incorporates the added benefits of Lumentum’s FlexBurst™, MegaBurst™, AccuTrig™, and SYNC capabilities.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
Today, picosecond lasers are increasingly becoming the workhorses of the laser micromachining industry. The continuous trend toward miniaturization in the smartphone, automotive, and medical device industries increases the need for higher power, precision, and flexibility in the lasers used in manufacturing processes. When developing PicoBlade 3, our objective was to release a new product increasing the power by a factor of four to enable higher throughput in existing applications. By doing so, we enable a faster processing and reduce cost-of-ownership.
Is there anything else you think worth discussing?
Here at Lumentum, our focus is to develop leading-edge, high performance lasers designed for industrial applications with maximized uptime. We have also been a critical component supplier in the fiber laser market for more than 20 years. With our extensive in-house capabilities from wafer fabrication and diode packaging, to optical fiber fabrication and fiber laser integration truly highlights our vertical integration and why Lumentum is a world-leading supplier for fiber lasers and subsystems. Our CORELIGHT® fiber laser systems provide extreme operational performance with an industry-leading brightness. Optimal beam quality from high-brightness fiber lasers is our key differentiator that increases processing throughput, improves the quality of processed material, and lowers cost of ownership. Our compact and rugged fiber laser systems are ideal for the most demanding macro-materials processing applications and environments.
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
Please introduce yourself and what you do at TRUMPF Inc.
David Havrilla, Lead Instructor of Laser Technology.
We understand that TRUMPF Inc. is the Registration sponsor this year at ICALEO. How long has TRUMPF Inc. been participating in this conference?
Not exactly sure, but they have been involved at least since we were established in the Detroit area back in 1996, and perhaps earlier via our Connecticut presence.
What made you feel so passionate about the event as to sponsor the attendee’s registration cost?
ICALEO is a well-established event with a reputation of attracting outstanding leading edge academic and hands-on laser application experts from around the globe to share their experience and insights. We are hoping that sponsoring the registration costs will allow more individuals to join and learn about laser technology and how it can help overcome challenges, add design value to components (like light weighting or unique features), and improve quality in the manufacturing sector.
What are your impressions of the event transitioning to a virtual event this year?
For this particular season, which the world has not experienced in the last century, this was the only and right way to move forward with the event.
Can you tell us about the importance of companies like yours attending events like ICALEO?
The event is important on several fronts. First, to connect with our own team from headquarters, and with academic and industry experts from around the globe. Second, to gain insights from the latest research and experiences from various experts. Third, to contribute to the overall knowledge base and growth of industrial laser processing by presenting the latest advancements from TRUMPF’s perspective, and finally, to connect with industry attendees and have a chance to talk with them about their on-going projects, or potential laser applications.
Has TRUMPF Inc. been impacted in any other ways due to the pandemic?
Of course, we have instituted all the government mandated protocols, which has required many of our employees to work remotely. We also saw a significant reduction of orders and service missions during the first couple months of COVID. These have now returned to normal and even above anticipated levels.
Do you anticipate any long-term changes due to COVID-19 that TRUMPF Inc. will make moving forward?
We are evaluating a new paradigm for remote work and also how we might better utilize our office space in lieu of this new reality, even post-COVID.
Has the pandemic had any unexpected positive effect on your company?
I would say that the flexibility of remote work, and less geographical constraints for future talent base because of our new posture regarding remote work, are two positive effects. In addition, many people are saving commute time, fuel costs, have more personal flexibility, etc., and in the end, I believe employees will have greater job satisfaction and we will have reduced turn-over.
Is TRUMPF Inc. currently working on anything that you think our readers should know about?
I can only speak for the Training Department. We have launched a new portfolio of courses for our lasers and systems as of July 1st, and are currently working on several e-Learning courses for customers who are unable to travel. We will offer the e-Learning courses at 50% off, and also offer the same in-person course at 50% off if the customer takes the same course within a year of completing the e-Learning course.
If so, how do you see this shaping our industry going forward?
Greater accessibility to training should lead to quicker and higher levels of competency, leading to higher equipment uptime, greater confidence in utilization of laser material processing lasers and systems, and in the long-term (combined with the on-going reduction of laser prices) should lead to an expansion in the market.
Is there anything else you think worth discussing?
Hot topics within the TRUMPF organization at the moment are:
OEM laser advancements: increasing green wavelength laser to higher CW powers, high CW powers for various ultra-short pulse lasers in the TRUMPF portfolio
Sensor technology for part & seam detection with remote welding, weld depth monitoring, advanced monitoring for 3D metal printing
Industry 4.0 topics like Condition Monitoring and OPC-UA interface
SPI Laser product integration into the TRUMPF portfolio
This interview was done by the Laser Institute of America as part of a sponsorship package offered at the ICALEO conference. To find out more about how you can sponsor at ICALEO 2021, please visit icaleo.org or reach out to marketing@lia.org.
Who uses medical lasers in your institution? How do you know the provider is qualified? These are questions that should be asked in every medical facility that uses Class 3B and Class 4 lasers.
The Challenge
There is currently a lot of variation in the specificity of laser privileges and the requirements for them to be granted, even within an institution. In a non-scientific survey conducted by the author, twelve academic medical centers, six community hospitals and one military hospital responded to questions regarding the laser privileging process. Three of the nineteen facilities grant core privileges for “use of lasers” or “laser surgery” to all physicians within a specialty. Four facilities have privileges based on the laser type and wavelength [e.g. CO2 laser (10,600 nm) or Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm)]. Three have very specific privileges that indicate the type of laser and the procedure for which it can be used. For example, Ophthalmology may have privileges for Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy and ArF Excimer photorefractive keratectomy, while Cardiology may have a privilege for XeCl Excimer laser atherectomy. Nine of the facilities had a mixture of laser privileges that differed by specialty.
There is also variation in the requirements for physicians to be granted a laser privilege. Only 63% of the facilities required providers to complete laser safety training and 68% required documentation of training and experience.
Once laser privileges are granted initially, 53% automatically grant them at each reappointment. Only 47% require documentation of a minimum number of cases with each laser, with good outcomes, to renew the privileges.
Image of CO2 laser.
Standards, Guidelines and Regulations
What is the best process to ensure patient safety and to protect the provider and facility? Let’s begin with a review of the requirements in the American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care (ANSI Z136.3-2018). In section 5.2.1, laser safety training is required for health care personnel including laser users and laser operators and 5.2.2 indicates, “Retraining programs should be provided […] not less frequently than every five years for laser users, laser operators” and other personnel. Section 5.2.3 states that “All certification and credentialing processes at the facility […] shall require training in the safe use of lasers, as well as the maintenance of a safe environment […].”
The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) also provides guidance regarding the safe use of surgical lasers. AORN indicates that the laser safety committee responsibilities should include “establishing requirements for credentialing” and “verifying that any physician who operates a laser has completed the health care organization’s required education on the operation and safety precautions and course work in basic laser physics, laser-tissue interaction, and clinical applications for the specific laser for which privileges are sought.” (AORN 2017)
The Joint Commission (TJC) defines credentialing as “the collection, verification, and assessment of information regarding three critical parameters; current licensure; education and relevant training; and experience, ability, and current competence to perform the requested privilege(s).” TJC indicates that “core/bundled privileges must clearly and accurately define the specific activities/procedures/privileges to be included the core/bundle and reflect only activities/procedures/privileges performed at the organization from which privileges have been requested.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that “the hospital’s Governing Body must ensure that all practitioners who provide a medical level of care and/or conduct surgical procedures in the hospital are individually evaluated by its Medical Staff and that those practitioners possess current qualifications and demonstrated competencies for the privileges granted.”
Image of greenlight laser.
Recommendations
To comply with ANSI Z136.3-2018, AORN guidelines, TJC standards, and CMS regulations, healthcare facilities need to ensure that providers who use lasers have documented training and experience with the lasers they will use before granting laser privileges. Privileges should be specific to the laser(s) to be used, and the facility needs to have a process for ensuring retraining in laser safety at intervals not to exceed 5 years and evaluation of continued competency.
Ideally, provider privileges would be very specific as to the laser used and the procedure that is performed with the laser (e.g. Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy or Ho:YAG laser lithotripsy). However, the list of specific laser privileges could be quite long. For this reason, many facilities grant privileges for procedures and laser use separately. Physicians may have core privileges to perform typical procedures and then special privileges for the use of specific laser(s). At my facility, providers can request privileges from a list that includes 13 different lasers from the ArF Excimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm to the CO2 laser with a wavelength of 10,600 nm. There are separate privileges for each wavelength of diode laser.
Physicians should be required to submit documentation of training and experience with each laser for which privileges are requested. The facilities in which I work require 2 cases during the previous two years, but some facilities require up to 5 cases and/or allow up to 5 years.
Training in laser safety and maintaining a safe environment should be required at initial credentialing and periodically. While ANSI Z136.3 allows up to 5 years, our credentialing committee decided to require retraining at each reappointment (every 2 years) to renew laser privileges. We have four different laser safety training modules available through our computer-based learning system so providers complete training that is relevant to the setting in which they work and the types of lasers they are likely to use.
If your facility currently has very generic laser privileges and/or does not require any documentation of training and experience, I recommend that you start a conversation with physicians who use lasers, medical credentialing staff and facility administration to discuss the gaps in the current program and best practices that can be implemented. I recruited physician champions and worked with them and medical staff office personnel to develop the policy for laser privileges. We then presented it to the credentials committee and then the medical board.
References
American National Standards Institute (2018). American National Standard for Safe Use of Lasers in Health Care Z136.3-2018. Laser Institute of America. Orlando, FL
Deirdre Elder is a Certified Health Physicist and Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer with twelve years of experience. She is the Radiation Safety Manager for UCHealth and serves as the Radiation Safety Officer and Laser Safety Officer for University of Colorado Hospital and other facilities within the system.
