1.7 μm waveband covers many molecular absorption lines and is located in the transparent window of living tissue.This band laser source has important applications in material processing, mid infrared laser generation, gas detection, medical surgery, and biological imaging. The research progress and the related applications of 1.7 μm waveband laser were summarized at home and abroad in this paper, and the work of Changchun University of Science and Technology in this field was introduced. Although the research and application of 1.7 μm waveband fiber laser still face a series of problems, it is reasonable to believe that with the continuous improvement of the related technologies, 1.7 μm waveband high-performance fiber laser will develop rapidly.