Abstract: Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched.

Abstract: In a branched resonator OPS-laser arrangement, a combination of intra-cavity optical parametric generation and intra-cavity frequency conversion provides output radiation in a range between about 550 nanometers about 800 nanometers from an OPS fundamental wavelength in a range between about 900 nm and about 1100 nm.

Abstract: A high-efficiency white-light-emitting device that includes a polariton light emitter that emits UV or blue light to a down-converting material that converts the polariton emissions to white light. The polariton light emitter includes an active region situated within a resonant optical cavity formed on a substrate. The down-converting material can comprise a luminophoric phosphor or other material. The polariton light and down-converting material can be arranged in a single apparatus to provide a white-light-emitting device that can be used for lighting and instrumentation. The device can also be configured for high-frequency modulation to provide optical signals for communications and control systems.

Abstract: A widely tunable laser is described where a compound semiconductor gain chip is coupled to a waveguide filter fabricated on silicon. The filter has two resonators with different free-spectral-ranges, such that Vernier tuning between the filters can be used to provide a single wavelength of light feedback into the gain chip, where the wavelength is adjustable over a wide range. The coupling between the gain chip and the filter is realized through a microlens whose position can be adjusted using micromechanics and locked in place.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser which is configured by laminating on a substrate a lower reflection mirror, an active layer, and an upper reflection mirror, which includes, in a light emitting section of the upper reflection mirror, a structure for controlling reflectance that is configured by a low reflectance region and a concave high reflectance region formed in the central portion of the low reflectance region, and which oscillates at a wavelength of ?, wherein the upper reflection mirror is configured by a multilayer film reflection mirror based on a laminated structure formed by laminating a plurality of layers, the multilayer film reflection mirror includes a phase adjusting layer which has an optical thickness in the range of ?/8 to 3?/8 inclusive in a light emitting peripheral portion on the multilayer film reflection mirror, and an absorption layer causing band-to-band absorption is provided in the phase adjusting layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser including: a first multilayer film reflector; an active layer having a light emission region; a second multilayer film reflector; and a reflectance adjustment layer in this order on a substrate side. The first multilayer film reflector and the second multilayer film reflector have a laminated structure in which reflectance of oscillation wavelength ?x is almost constant without depending on temperature change. The active layer is made of a material with which a maximum gain is obtained at temperature higher than ambient temperature. The reflectance adjustment layer has a laminated structure in which difference ?R(=Rx?Ry) between reflectance Rx of a region opposed to a central region of the light emission region and reflectance Ry of a region opposed to an outer edge region of the light emission region is increased associated with temperature increase from ambient temperature to high temperature.

Abstract: An optical resonator includes a master resonator configured to resonate an electromagnetic wave, one structure or a pair of structures adjacent to each other, each of which is arranged at a position that overlaps one of resonance modes of the master resonator, is made up of a material in which a real part of a permittivity assumes a negative value, and an absolute value of the real part is larger than an absolute value of an imaginary part of the permittivity, and has a size which makes scattering that the electromagnetic wave suffers be Rayleigh scattering, and one or a plurality of particles, each of which is laid out near the structure by a distance smaller than the size of the structure.

Abstract: A laser amplifier system is provided which comprises a resonator with optical resonator elements which determine a course of a resonator radiation field which propagates along an optical axis and at least one laser-active medium (LM). The resonator is designed as a split resonator and has a first resonator section which extends from a first virtual plane of separation and a second resonator section which extends from a second virtual plane of separation. The resonator sections are dimensioned optically such that the resonator radiation field has radiation field states corresponding to the same resonator modes in each of the virtual planes of separation. An amplifying unit optically independent of the resonator is arranged between the first and the second virtual planes of separation. The amplifying unit comprises the at least one laser-active medium and couples the radiation field states in a neutral manner with respect to the resonator modes.

Abstract: A broadband light source configured to emit a stable broadband optical beam is provided. The broadband light source includes at least one optical pump source, an optical system including a polarization beam combiner, and a solid state laser medium. The optical system is configured to receive at least one optical pump beam from a respective one of the at least one optical pump source. The solid state laser medium receives a substantially unpolarized pump beam from a first output of the optical system. Stable broadband amplified spontaneous emission is output from a second output of the optical system.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a surface emitting laser element of a vertical cavity type comprises sequential accumulation that accumulates a reflecting mirror of a multilayered film layer at a lower side of the substrate, and accumulates semiconductor layers onto the reflecting minor at the lower side that comprises an active layer and a contact layer. The process includes forming a first layer of dielectric substance on the contact layer, forming an electrode of an annular shape on the contact layer that has an open part to be arranged for the first layer at an inner side of the open part, and forming a second layer of dielectric substance to cover the first layer and a gap formed between the first layer and the electrode of the annular shape. The accumulated semiconductor layers are etched to form a mesa post, using the electrode of the annular shape as a mask.

Abstract: In the case of a lens array type homogenizer optical system, the incident angle and intensity of a laser beam 1 entering a large-sized lens (long-axis condenser lens 22) of a long-axis condensing optical system, which is provided on the rear side, are changed for every shot by performing laser irradiation while long-axis lens arrays 20a and 20b are reciprocated in a direction corresponding to a long axial direction of a linear beam (X-direction). Therefore, vertical stripes are significantly reduced. Further, the incident angle and intensity of a laser beam 1 entering a large-sized lens (projection lens 30) of a short-axis condensing optical system, which is provided on the rear side, are changed for every shot by performing laser irradiation while short-axis lens arrays 26a and 26b are reciprocated in a direction corresponding to a short axial direction of a linear beam (Y-direction). Therefore, horizontal stripes are significantly reduced.

Abstract: A pulsed light generator of the invention includes: an excitation light source; a fiber grating into which excitation light from the excitation light source enters; a rare-earth doped optical fiber optically coupled with the fiber grating, in which a rare-earth element is doped into a core, serving as an optical transmitting section; an optical switch including a deflection element for causing a Q-switching operation; a first optical fiber that causes light from the rare-earth doped optical fiber to enter into the optical switch; and a second optical fiber for waveguiding pulsed light output from the optical switch. One surface side of the optical switch, into which light enters, is subjected to anti-reflection treatment with a reflectance with respect to a wavelength of the pulsed light output from the optical switch being 0.1% or less.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laser crystal device (1) for short pulse lasers, comprising a container (4), the interior of which is sealed relative to the environment and which contains a technically pure atmosphere with windows (12, 13) in the side walls (12, 13) for the passage of laser radiation (16), which in operation passes through a laser crystal (6), wherein the window (12, 13) has an inclination of the Brewster angle to the beam path of the laser radiation (16) and a mounting (5) for the laser crystal (6) is provided within the container (4), the windows (12, 13) are inclined to each other by double the Brewster angle and are placed at an adequate distance from the laser crystal (6) position, with relation to the laser beam properties, wherein the beam cross section at the windows (12, 13) is sufficiently large in order to guarantee a peak intensity at the windows (12, 13) which is sufficiently reduced in relation to the peak intensity of the laser beam (16) at the laser crystal (6) for avoidin

Abstract: Provided is a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser which can suppress light leaking outside in an in-plane direction of the two-dimensional photonic crystal and an absorption loss in an active layer caused by the latter layer serving as an absorbing layer without contributing to light emission, and can improve light use efficiency. The surface emitting laser has a laminated structure in which an active layer and a photonic crystal layer are laminated in a vertical direction, has a resonance mode in an in-plane direction of the photonic crystal, and light is extracted in a vertical direction to a surface of the photonic crystal, wherein the laminated structure has a multi-refractive index layer including a central region made of a high refractive index medium and a peripheral portion made of a low refractive index medium with a lower refractive index than that of the high refractive index medium.

Abstract: A tunable laser includes an optical gain medium, a first resonator, a periodically tunable optical filter, and a second resonator in which light of a laser wavelength exhibits a round trip time T. The optical filter is arranged between the first resonator and the second resonator and is tuned with a period t. The period t is governed by t=(n/m) T, where n and m are integers and m/n is not an integer.

Abstract: Surface emitting laser arrays with intra-cavity harmonic generation are coupled to an optical system that extracts harmonic light in both directions from an intra-cavity nonlinear optical material in such a way that the focusing properties of the light beams are matched.

Abstract: A graphene-based saturable absorber device suitable for use in a ring-cavity fiber laser or a linear-cavity fiber laser is disclosed. The saturable absorber device includes an optical element and a graphene-based saturable absorber material supported by the optical element and comprising at least one of graphene, a graphene derivative and functionalized graphene. An examplary optical element is an optical fiber having an end facet that supports the saturable absorber material. Various forms of the graphene-based saturable absorber materials and methods of forming same are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laser light source having a structure for narrowing a wavelength bandwidth of output light. The laser light source comprises, at least, a laser resonator, a pumping light source, an optical path switch device, a diffraction grating, and a total reflection mirror. The laser resonator has a light amplifying fiber for output of emission light arranged on a resonance optical path thereof. The optical path switch device has a first port and a second port on the resonance optical path of the laser resonator. The diffraction grating spectrally separates the emission light outputted from the second port. The total reflection mirror reflects a specific wavelength component out of wavelength components spectrally separated by the diffraction grating, so as to feed the specific wavelength component back to the second port.

Abstract: A laser light source device including: a laser light source that emits laser beams from a plurality of light emitting points; and a polarization rotating unit that is arranged on a light axis of a laser beam output from one or a plurality of light emitting points of the laser light source, wherein the polarization rotating unit rotates a polarization of the laser beam output from one or a plurality of light emitting points by about 90°.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser oscillator using an electroluminescent material that can enhance directivity of emitted laser light and resistance to a physical impact. The laser oscillator has a first layer including a concave portion, a second layer formed over the first layer to cover the concave portion, and a light emitting element formed over the second layer to overlap the concave portion, wherein the second layer is planarized, an axis of laser light obtained from the light emitting element intersects with a planarized surface of the second layer, the first layer has a curved surface in the concave portion, and a refractive index of the first layer is lower than that of the second layer.

Abstract: An external-cavity one-dimensional multi-wavelength beam combiner that performs wavelength beam combining along a stacking dimension of a laser stack formed of a plurality of laser arrays, each laser array configured to generate optical radiation having a unique wavelength, and each of the plurality of laser arrays including a plurality of laser emitters arranged along an array dimension of the laser stack. The multi-wavelength beam combiner includes a cylindrical telescope configured to image each of the laser emitters along a slow axis of the laser emitters, a transform lens arranged to intercept the optical radiation from each of the plurality of laser arrays and combine the optical radiation along a stacking dimension of the laser stack to form a multi-wavelength optical beam, and a diffraction element positioned at a region of overlap of the optical radiation to receive and transmit the multi-wavelength optical beam.

Abstract: Processing of incoherent electromagnetic radiation is described, said incoming incoherent electromagnetic radiation comprising radiation in a first wavelength interval. An arrangement comprises a focusing arrangement for focusing the incoming incoherent electromagnetic radiation, a first cavity configured to comprise an intra cavity laser beam, a nonlinear crystal arranged in the first cavity such that it is capable of receiving the focused incoherent electromagnetic radiation and, in dependence on the spatial overlap between the focused incoherent electromagnetic radiation and the intra-cavity laser beam, by interaction with the intra-cavity laser beam provide processed electromagnetic radiation, said processed electromagnetic radiation comprising radiation in a second wavelength interval. In other words, such an arrangement is capable of enabling imaging, e.g.

Abstract: A device having a light cavity includes, at one end, a plasmonic reflector having a grating surface for coupling incoming light into traverse plasmon waves and for coupling the traverse plasmon wave into broaden light, the surface serving to redistribute light within the cavity, the reflector being well suited for use in laser diodes for redistributing filamental cavity laser light into spatially broaden cavity laser light for translating multimodal laser light into unimodal laser light for improved reliability and uniform laser beam creation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid state laser device with a solid state gain medium between two resonator end mirrors (3, 5) and a GaN-based pump laser (1) arranged to optically pump the solid state gain medium. The solid state gain medium is a Pr3+-doped crystalline or polycrystalline host material (4) which has a cubic crystalline structure and highest phonon energies of ?600 cm?1 and provides a band gap of ?5.5 eV. The proposed solid state laser can be designed to emit at several visible wavelengths with the emitted power showing a reduced dependence on the temperature of the GaN-based pump laser (1).

Abstract: Laser diodes (120) emit laser beams along a vertical YZ plane at different distances from the YZ plane. The beams are collimated in their fast and slow axes, and are redirected by turning mirrors (162) to form a beam stack (130C) traveling along the XZ plane. The beam stack is turned by about 90°, then converged by a focusing lens (174) into an optical fiber (180). A compact assembly is thus provided. Each laser diode (120.i), its collimating optics (154.i, 158.i, i=1, 2, . . . ) and its turning mirror (162.i) are rigidly attached to a flat, heat-spreading surface (144.i) and thus remain aligned with each other in thermal cycling.

Abstract: In a branched resonator OPS-laser arrangement, a combination of intra-cavity optical parametric generation and intra-cavity sum-frequency mixing provides output radiation in a range between about 550 nanometers about 700 nanometers from an OPS fundamental wavelength in a range between about 900 nm and about 1100 nm.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal plane emission laser of the invention includes a two-dimensional photonic crystal which has a two-dimensional photonic crystal area and a light reflecting area, and which selects a wavelength of light to be generated in an active layer. The light reflecting area is formed in such a manner that when light leaking from the two-dimensional photonic crystal area and reflected on a reflecting surface of the light reflecting area is returned to the two-dimensional photonic crystal area, the reflection light is combined with a standing wave residing in a propagating direction of the reflection light without disturbing its resonant state.

Abstract: In a laser arrangement comprising at least one laser medium for producing a laser emission, a laser resonator having a beam path with a length of at least 20 cm and with at least one end mirror, the beam path within the laser resonator is formed at least partly by free-beam optics. A resonator element arranged in the beam path has at least two optical surfaces as surfaces interacting with the radiation led via the beam path, these optical surfaces being rigidly connected to one another and being adjustable together in the beam path in such a way that, on tilting by an angle error, they achieve substantially the same effect on the guidance of the beam path but with opposite sign, so that mutual compensation of tilt errors takes place.

Abstract: A wavelength variable laser smaller in size than the conventional one can be achieved by arranging a gain chip, an etalon filter and a fifth reflective mirror on an AlN submount and longitudinally integrating the gain chip in which a 45° mirror and a lens are integrated and the etalon filter. A laser cavity has a structure in which light passes through an active layer from a first reflective mirror realized by an end surface of the gain chip, is reflected by the 45° mirror at an angle of 90° and then passes through the lens. The light having passed through the lens is converted into parallel light, passes through the etalon filter and reaches the fifth reflective mirror and is then reflected. The reflected light returns through the same optical path and reaches the first reflective mirror realized by the end surface of the gain chip.

Abstract: In a first embodiment, the invention makes use of a Neodymium doped YAG (Nd:YAG) gain medium placed in an optical resonant cavity formed by two mirrors. Power extraction is maximized for a specific laser cavity. In particular the concave curvature on the rod ends contributes a negative lensing component to modify the strength of the thermal lens. In a second embodiment the present invention uses an amplifier rod medium with curved ends to act as lensing elements to collect emission from the laser gain medium and/or oscillator described in the first embodiment of the invention. The combination of thermal lens and curved rod ends produces a lensing effect which allows light to be directly coupled from a laser. In addition, variation of the input pump power allows for control of the thermal lens formed within the amplifier rod.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes an apparatus. The apparatus includes a plurality of lasers comprising a plurality of laser paths. The apparatus further includes an incoherent combining beam director in the plurality of laser paths. The apparatus also includes a plurality of optical elements in the plurality of laser paths between the plurality of lasers and the beam director.

Abstract: Laser apparatus comprises a solid-state laser-resonator including a thin-disk solid-state gain-medium. The thin-disk gain medium is optically pumped using radiation circulating in an OPS-laser resonator. The solid-state laser-resonator can be a passively mode-locked or actively Q-switched laser-resonator.

Abstract: A semiconductor diode laser having a broad vertical waveguide and a broad lateral waveguide is disclosed emitting laser-light in a single vertical mode and a single lateral mode narrow beam. The vertical waveguide comprises a coupled cavity structure, wherein light, generated in the active medium placed in the first cavity leaks into the second cavity and returns back. Phase matching conditions govern the selection of a single vertical mode. A multi-stripe lateral waveguide comprises preferably a lateral photonic band crystal with a lateral optical defect created by selected pumping of multistripes. This approach allows the selection of a single lateral mode having a higher optical confinement factor and/or a lower absorption loss and/or a lower leakage loss compared to the rest lateral optical modes. This enables a single lateral mode lasing from a broad area field coupled laser array.

Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes a substrate, a lower reflective mirror formed on the substrate, an active layer formed on the lower reflective mirror, an upper reflective mirror formed on the active layer, an optical mode controlling layer formed between the lower reflective mirror and the upper reflective mirror, and a current confining layer formed between the lower reflective mirror and the upper reflective mirror. The active layer emits light. The upper reflective mirror forms a resonator between the lower reflective mirror and the upper reflective mirror. In the optical mode controlling layer, an opening is formed for selectively absorbing or reflecting off light that is emitted in the active layer. The optical mode controlling layer optically controls mode of laser light. The current confining layer confines current that is applied during driving.

Abstract: When configuring a surface emitting laser by a semiconductor material not capable of largely extracting a refractive-index difference, the surface emitting laser using a photonic crystal capable of forming a waveguide is provided.

Abstract: An external cavity semiconductor laser including a first and second input-output section disposed on a common end surface via a center axis, and a semiconductor laser device emitting a first and second laser light from the first and second input-output sections in two directions. The laser device includes a first reflecting unit for reflecting the first laser light emitted from the first input-output section and returning the reflected first laser light to the first input-output section, a second reflecting unit for reflecting the second laser light emitted from the second input-output section and returning the reflected second laser light to the second input-output section, a third reflecting unit provided to a second end surface disposed opposite a first end surface having first and second input-output sections for reflecting laser light returned to one of the input-output sections so as to be emitted from the other one of the input-output sections.

Abstract: A polymer film laser is provided that comprises a plurality of extruded polymer layers. The plurality of extruded polymer layers comprises a plurality of alternating dielectric layers of a first polymer material having a first refractive index and a second polymer material having second refractive index different than the first refractive index.

Abstract: A laser source assembly (10) for providing an assembly output beam (12) includes a first MIR laser source (352A), a second MIR laser source (352B), and a beam combiner (241). The first MIR laser source (352A) emits a first MIR beam (356A) that is in the MIR range, and the second MIR laser source (352B) emits a second MIR beam (356B) that is in the MIR range. Further, the first MIR beam (356A) has a first linear polarization and the second MIR beam (356B) has a second linear polarization. The beam combiner (241) combines the first MIR beam (356A) and the second MIR beam (356B) to provide the assembly output beam (12). More specifically, the beam combiner (241) can include a combiner element that reflects light having the second linear polarization and that transmits light having the first linear polarization.

Abstract: A laser diode is provided comprising a multiple quantum well structure, a current concentrating layer having an oxide-confined aperture, a grating layer having an index of refraction, and a transparent electrode, wherein the transparent electrode has an index of refraction less than the index of refraction of the grating layer.

Abstract: A surface emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor chip (1), which emits radiation (12) and contains a first resonator mirror (3). A second resonator mirror (6) is arranged outside the semiconductor chip (1). The first resonator mirror (3) and the second resonator mirror (6) form a laser resonator for the radiation (12) emitted by the semiconductor chip (1). The laser resonator contains an interference filter (9, 17), which is formed from an interference layer system comprising a plurality of dielectric layers.

Abstract: Master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) apparatus includes two seed-pulse sources coupled to a single fiber amplifier including one or more stages of amplification. One of the seed-pulse sources is a single-mode source generating pulses having a duration selectively variable between about 0.1 ns and 10 ns. The other seed-pulse source is a multi-mode source generating pulses having a duration selectively variable between about 1 ns and 10 ?s. Selectively operating one or the other of the seed-pulse sources provides that the apparatus can deliver pulses selectively variable in a range between about 0.1 ns and 10 ?s.

Abstract: A light source includes a semiconductor laser diode and a narrow spectral and spatial bandwidth reflector in optical communication with respect to the semiconductor diode laser and aligned with the output beam of the diode laser, such that a portion of the light in the output beam is reflected back into the laser.

Abstract: A mode-locked solid-state laser apparatus having a resonator which includes a solid-state laser medium, a saturable absorption mirror, and a negative group dispersion element therein, in which the solid-state laser medium and the saturable absorption mirror are disposed at a distance not greater than twice a Rayleigh length which is determined by the beam radius of oscillation light formed at the saturable absorption mirror. The apparatus further includes a dichroic mirror in the resonator that reflects excitation light inputted from a direction crossing the optical axis of the resonator toward the solid-state laser medium and transmits oscillation light.

Abstract: In a laser arrangement comprising at least one laser medium for producing a laser emission, a laser resonator having a beam path with a length of at least 20 cm and with at least one end mirror, the beam path within the laser resonator is formed at least partly by free-beam optics. A resonator element arranged in the beam path has at least two optical surfaces as surfaces interacting with the radiation led via the beam path, these optical surfaces being rigidly connected to one another and being adjustable together in the beam path in such a way that, on tilting by an angle error, they achieve substantially the same effect on the guidance of the beam path but with opposite sign, so that mutual compensation of tilt errors takes place.

Abstract: A surface emitting laser is provided with an upper reflecting mirror having a photonic crystal structure with a point defect at the center, and emits a laser beam from the side of a lower reflecting mirror. An upper electrode is formed on the point defect at the center, and element resistance is reduced. A material transparent to a wavelength of the laser beam is used for a substrate. The emission efficiency is improved by reducing the element resistance of the photonic crystal surface emitting laser.

Abstract: In a vertical cavity surface-emitting semiconductor laser device, first and second resonance wavelengths which are different are provided while a first resonator and a second resonator are coupled optically, and a gain of an active layer at the first resonance wavelength on the side of short wavelength is higher than that at the second resonance wavelength on the side of long wavelength. An absorption coefficient of an optical absorption layer when no electric field is applied is small for the first and second resonance wavelengths, and when an electric field is applied, an absorption coefficient of the optical absorption layer for the first resonance wavelength on the side of short wavelength is larger than that for the second resonance wavelength on the side of long wavelength.

Abstract: An improved laser source for use in a distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system (and DTS systems employing the same) includes a laser device and drive circuitry that cooperate to emit an optical pulse train at a characteristic wavelength between 1050 nm and 1090 nm. An optical amplifier, which is operably coupled to the laser device, is adapted to amplify the optical pulse train for output over the optical fiber sensor of the DTS system. In the preferred embodiment, the laser device operates at 1064 nm and outputs the optical pulse train via an optical fiber pigtail that is integral to its housing. The optical power of the optical pulse train generated by the laser source is greater than 100 mW, and preferably greater than 1 W, at a preferred pulse repetition frequency range between 1 and 50 kHz, and at a preferred pulse width range between 2 and 100 ns.

Abstract: A mode-locked laser device includes a Fabry-Perot resonator, a mode-locking element disposed within the resonator, a solid-state laser medium disposed within the resonator, and exciting means for applying excitation light to the solid-state laser medium. The opposite ends of the resonator, the mode-locking element and the solid-state laser medium are disposed to provide an average beam diameter of lasing light of not more than 150 ?m on the mode-locking element and an average beam diameter of the lasing light of not more than 200 ?m within the solid-state laser medium.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laser crystal device (1) for short pulse lasers, comprising a container (4), the interior of which is sealed relative to the environment and which contains a technically pure atmosphere with windows (12, 13) in the side walls (12, 13) for the passage of laser radiation (16), which in operation passes through a laser crystal (6), wherein the window (12, 13) has an inclination of the Brewster angle to the beam path of the laser radiation (16) and a mounting (5) for the laser crystal (6) is provided within the container (4), the windows (12, 13) are inclined to each other by double the Brewster angle and are placed at an adequate distance from the laser crystal (6) position, with relation to the laser beam properties, wherein the beam cross section at the windows (12, 13) is sufficiently large in order to guarantee a peak intensity at the windows (12, 13) which is sufficiently reduced in relation to the peak intensity of the laser beam (16) at the laser crystal (6) for avoidin

Abstract: A laser diode illuminator device and a method for optically conditioning the output beam radiated from such a device, so that highly-demanding illumination application requirements that call for high output powers within a specified field of illumination can be addressed. At the heart of the device is a two-dimensional stack of laser diode bars wherein the linear array of beamlets radiated by each laser diode bar is optically conditioned through its passage in a refractive-type micro-optics device followed by a cylindrical microlens. The micro-optics device performs collimation of the linear array of beamlets along the fast axis of the bars, and it also acts as a beam symmetrization device by interchanging the divergences of the laser beamlets along the fast and slow axes. The cylindrical microlens is for collimation of the beamlets along the slow axis.