Scientists unleash 100-kW lasers that melt steel and speed up mining

Researchers at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) have developed powerful multi-kilowatt laser systems, including 100-kW continuous wave (cw) lasers and ultrashort pulse (USP) lasers reaching double-digit kilowatt levels. These advances are enabling new industrial applications such as cutting thick steel, drilling tunnels, and accelerating mining and excavation processes. The technology can split a single laser beam into multiple beams, significantly boosting productivity. The upcoming AKL’26 International Laser Technology Congress will highlight these innovations, emphasizing the transformative potential of high-power lasers across manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy sectors. High-energy lasers like diode-pumped solid-state lasers (DPPS) are also critical for future fusion power plants and generating secondary radiation sources such as extreme ultraviolet and X-rays. Beyond increasing raw power, researchers are integrating AI-assisted control, optical neural networks, and precision beam shaping to tailor laser profiles for complex 3D processing and techniques like optical stamping, which processes entire surfaces in one shot