Abstract: A fast (high numerical aperture) cylindrical microlens, which includes an internally reflective surface, that functions to deviate the direction of the light that enters the lens from its original propagation direction is employed in optically conditioning laser diodes, laser diode arrays and laser diode bars.

Abstract: A fast (high numerical aperture) cylindrical microlens, which includes an internally reflective surface, that functions to deviate the direction of the light that enters the lens from its original propagation direction is employed in optically conditioning laser diodes, laser diode arrays and laser diode bars.

Abstract: A fast (high numerical aperture) cylindrical microlens, which includes an internally reflective surface, that functions to deviate the direction of the light that enters the lens from its original propagation direction is employed in optically conditioning laser diodes, laser diode arrays and laser diode bars.

Abstract: A microchannel-cooled, optically corrected, laser diode array is fabricated by mounting laser diode bars onto Si surfaces. This approach allows for the highest thermal impedance, in a ruggedized, low-cost assembly that includes passive microlens attachment without the need for lens frames. The microlensed laser diode array is usable in all solid-state laser systems that require efficient, directional, narrow bandwidth, high optical power density pump sources.

Abstract: A fast (high numerical aperture) cylindrical microlens, which includes an internally reflective surface, that functions to deviate the direction of the light that enters the lens from its original propagation direction is employed in optically conditioning laser diodes, laser diode arrays and laser diode bars.

Abstract: A monolithic, electrically-insulating substrate that contains a series of notched grooves is fabricated. The substrate is then metalized so that only the top surface and one wall adjacent to the notch are metalized. Within the grooves is located a laser bar, an electrically-conductive ribbon or contact bar and an elastomer which secures/registers the laser bar and ribbon (or contact bar) firmly along the wall of the groove that is adjacent to the notch. The invention includes several embodiments for providing electrical contact to the corresponding top surface of the adjacent wall. In one embodiment, after the bar is located in the proper position, the electrically conductive ribbon is bent so that it makes electrical contact with the adjoining metalized top side of the heatsink.

Abstract: Monolithic microlens frames enable the fabrication of monolithic laser diode arrays and are manufactured inexpensively with high registration, and with inherent focal length compensation for any lens diameter variation. A monolithic substrate is used to fabricate a low-cost microlens array. The substrate is wet-etched or sawed with a series of v-grooves. The v-grooves can be created by wet-etching, by exploiting the large etch-rate selectivity of different crystal planes. The v-grooves provide a support frame for either cylindrical or custom-shaped microlenses. Because the microlens frames are formed by photolithographic semiconductor batch-processing techniques, they can be formed inexpensively over large areas with precise lateral and vertical registration. The v-groove has an important advantage for preserving the correct focus for lenses of varying diameter.

Abstract: A substrate is used to fabricate a low-cost laser diode array. A substrate is machined from an electrically insulative material that is thermally conductive, or two substrates can be bonded together in which the top substrate is electrically as well as thermally conductive. The substrate thickness is slightly longer than the cavity length, and the width of the groove is wide enough to contain a bar and spring (which secures the laser bar firmly along one face of the groove). The spring also provides electrical continuity from the backside of the bar to the adjacent metalization layer on the laser bar substrate. Arrays containing one or more bars can be formed by creating many grooves at various spacings. Along the groove, many bars can be adjoined at the edges to provide parallel electrical conduction. This architecture allows precise and predictable registration of an array of laser bars to a self-aligned microlens array at low cost.

Abstract: An optically corrected, micro-channel cooled, high density laser diode array achieves stacking pitches to 33 bars/cm by mounting laser diodes into V-shaped grooves. This design will deliver>4kW/cm2 of directional pulsed laser power. This optically corrected, micro-channel cooled, high density laser is usable in all solid state laser systems which require efficient, directional, narrow bandwidth, high optical power density pump sources.