Provided is a surgical handpiece for providing an electromagnetic cutting blade. The handpiece, comprises a body portion having an input end and an output end, a plurality of optical fibers for receiving laser energy having a wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range, wherein the optical fibers are received in the body portion at the input end and extend to the output end, and an optical fiber transition region within the body portion for arranging the plurality of optical fibers into a predetermine cutting shape at the output end, wherein laser energy transmitted from the arranged optical fibers at the output end interact with water molecules near the surgical target to generate micro-explosions that result in a cutting effect.