Delivery system
FAC Collimated Beam
Beam-shaping optics that collimate a diode source's rapidly diverging axis to produce a more uniform, directed output.
Fast-axis collimation applies a micro-optic to the axis along which a diode emitter diverges most rapidly, producing a more directed and uniform beam than the raw emitter output.
The problem collimation solves
A laser diode does not emit a neat parallel beam. Its output diverges — and it diverges much more rapidly along one axis than the other. The rapidly diverging axis is the fast axis, and fast-axis collimation (FAC) applies a micro-optic to correct it.
Without correction, the emitted energy spreads asymmetrically before it reaches anything. Collimation brings that divergence under control so the beam arrives closer to how it was aimed.
Why it matters in practice
Energy that diverges before reaching tissue is spread across a wider area than intended. The consequence is not simply “less power” — it is less predictable delivery across the treatment spot.
Uniformity across the spot is the practical concern. A handpiece delivering unevenly across its footprint behaves differently at the centre than at the edges, which makes technique harder to reproduce and results harder to standardise between operators. Beam shaping is one of the elements that determines how consistent a handpiece feels in use.
This is why beam quality belongs in a specification discussion even though it is less visible than wavelength or output power. Two platforms with identical source specifications can differ in how uniformly they deliver, and that difference shows up in daily operation rather than on a datasheet headline.
What to ask about it
Beam uniformity is difficult to assess from a brochure and reasonably easy to ask about during a demonstration:
- How uniform is delivery across the handpiece spot?
- What beam-shaping optics are used?
- Does uniformity hold across the platform’s operating range?
A supplier who can answer these specifically is describing engineering; one who answers only with output figures is describing the source.
Relationship to pulse delivery
Collimation shapes the beam in space. It says nothing about how energy is delivered over time, which is a separate design dimension — see TruePulse™ technology.
A complete picture of a delivery system needs both: how the beam is shaped, and how the pulse is controlled.
On the DioLase Titanium platform
Pro 1 Laser offers diode capability through the DioLase Titanium, distributed by Laser Equipment Global. The DioLase Titanium product page documents the system’s specifications, including its beam delivery, along with licensing and regulatory status.
Providers evaluating a specific configuration should request the current specification sheet and see the platform demonstrated.
Devices using this technology
Related technologies
FAQs
What does FAC stand for?
Fast-axis collimation. A diode emitter's output diverges much more rapidly along one axis than the other, and fast-axis collimation applies a micro-optic to correct the rapidly diverging axis.
Why does beam collimation matter in a clinical platform?
Because energy that diverges before reaching tissue is spread over a wider area than intended. Collimation directs more of the emitted output where it is aimed, which affects how uniformly a handpiece delivers across its spot.
Is this something a buyer can evaluate?
Indirectly. Beam uniformity across the spot is what collimation affects in practice, and it is a reasonable question to raise with a supplier during a demonstration.