1. Value Chain Structure
The laser industry features a clearly defined value chain, primarily divided into three tiers:
Upstream (Materials & Components): Includes laser chips, pump sources, gain fibers, and optical lenses. The performance of these core components directly determines the power stability and beam quality of the laser.
Midstream (Lasers & Equipment): Encompasses the manufacturing of various lasers (such as fiber, solid-state, and ultrafast lasers), as well as the integration of complete equipment like laser cutting and welding machines.
Downstream (End-User Applications): Widely applied in industrial manufacturing (cutting, welding, marking), healthcare (ophthalmic surgery, aesthetics), communications (optical communication, LiDAR), and scientific research.
2. Mainstream Technology Routes
Based on the gain medium and technical characteristics, lasers are primarily categorized as follows:
Fiber Lasers: Boasting high electro-optical conversion efficiency, excellent beam quality, and low maintenance costs, they are the absolute mainstay in industrial macro-processing (e.g., metal cutting and welding), accounting for approximately 65% of the industrial market share.
Solid-State Lasers: Characterized by high pulse energy and high peak power, they are the leading choice for precision micro-machining and medical aesthetics.
Ultrafast Lasers (Picosecond/Femtosecond): With minimal thermal effects, they are emerging as a new growth engine in high-end sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, OLED processing, and precision micro-machining for AI server PCBs.
Semiconductor Lasers: Known for their compact size and long lifespan, they serve as core pump sources for fiber communications, smartphone facial recognition, and various other laser systems.
3. Global and Chinese Industry Landscape
China is currently the world's largest laser application market. In 2024, the sales revenue of China's laser equipment market reached approximately 89.7 billion RMB, accounting for 56.6% of the global share. The industry exhibits a clear structural divergence:
Accelerated Domestic Substitution: Domestic manufacturers have achieved full self-sufficiency in low-to-medium power fiber lasers, with breakthroughs in 10,000W+ high-power technologies. The overall localization rate has surpassed 86%.
Shortcomings in High-End Segments: There remains a certain gap between domestic and top-tier international technologies in core upstream areas such as ultrafast lasers, high-end optical components, and high-power pump chips, with some still relying on imports.
4. Latest Industry Trends and Standardization
Explosion of Emerging Sectors: Driven by the demand for AI computing power, the need for ultrafast laser equipment in semiconductor precision machining has surged. Meanwhile, the development of new energy (power batteries, photovoltaics) has also opened up vast opportunities for high-power laser welding and cutting.
Upgraded Safety Standards for Handheld Equipment: As handheld laser welding and cleaning equipment proliferate at kilowatt-level powers, the safety risks in their dynamic hazard zones have become prominent. In August 2026, the first international safety standard for handheld laser processing equipment (ISO 11553-2:2026), led by China, was officially released. This marks a shift in industry safety assurance from "personnel management" toward "inherent safety design in products."
