Infrared wavelengths cannot be transmitted via conventional fibers with a quartz glass core because the coupled light is absorbed by the material. In industry and medicine, CO2 and Er:YAG (10.6 µm and 2.94 µm, respectively) lasers, therefore, use special fibers for power transmission.
CO2 lasers are used in laser material processing and medical applications for the cutting and ablation of tissue because they do not cause bleeding.