Anamorphic beam shaping optics are, e.g., used to transform elliptical laser beams to a round shape before coupling them to single‐mode optical fibers. Conversely, there are cases where originally round laser beams need to be transformed into an elliptical shape. The article describes some sample applications and discusses several concepts of anamorphic beam shaping and their respective advantages and disadvantages.

A stable measurement setup is fundamental for any successful measurement. A major cause of frustration and error is the need to continuously readjust optomechanical equipment because of continuous instabilities. But first decisions have to be made about which components to use. Detailed measurements of fiber parameters like e.g. an effective numerical aperture allow a better understanding which other fiber optic components are suitable for the application at hand. In‐depth knowledge about the different parameters is key for this procedure. The online product configurators on the new Schäfter+Kirchhoff website provide this information quickly and easily and help narrow down the search to the most relevant choices.

The laser sources shown in Fig. 1 combine a laser diode with refractive and sometimes diffractive optics to achieve the required beam shape. The form and shape of the beams reflect the broad variety of their application. Even within the basic groupings of laser line, laser spot or pattern, there are variants that differ widely in their physical characteristics.