High-power laser diode package implemented with meniscus slow axis collimator for reduced diode package footprint or improved laser output brightness

In a laser diode assembly including multiple broad area laser diodes configured to emit multiple laser beams for propagation along separate beam axes that are mutually spaced apart from and parallel to one another, each of the laser diodes exhibiting a fast rate of divergence in a fast axis direction and a slow rate of divergence in a slow axis direction, each of the multiple emitted laser beams received and collimated by fast axis collimation optics and slow axis collimation optics to form one of multiple collimated laser beams that are reflected by respective light reflecting elements for delivery to an objective lens, the slow axis collimation optics positioned a nominal distance from their respective light reflecting element and having a nominal focal length and a nominal back focal length, and the objective lens directing the multiple laser beams reflected by the light reflecting elements to an optical fiber, the improvement comprising:

• a transmissive optical substrate having first and second surfaces separated along an optical axis and configured to form a meniscus slow axis collimator lens that functions as the slow axis collimation optics, the first surface positioned to receive one of the multiple emitted laser beams and having a first curvature that imparts negative lens surface power to diverge outwardly the received one of the multiple emitted laser beams, the received one of the multiple emitted laser beams diverging outwardly at a rate that is greater than the slow rate of divergence to form a rapidly diverging beam, and the second surface having a second curvature that imparts positive lens surface power that is stronger than the negative lens surface power to collimate the rapidly diverging beam.