high energy pulses for precision micromachining applications. Short pulses of (65ns pulse
width) and energies of the order of 0.37 mJ have been delivered in a single spatial mode
through hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers at 1064nm using a high repetition rate (15kHz)
Nd: YAG laser. The ultimate laser-induced damage threshold and practical limitations of
current hollow-core fibers for the delivery of short optical pulses are discussed.