Integrated pumplight homogenizer and signal injector for high-power laser system

An apparatus comprising:

• a light pipe comprising:
• a first optic configured to substantially homogenize pumplight via internal reflection and to inject the substantially homogenized pumplight into a planar waveguide of a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier;
• and
• a cladding comprising second and third optics separated from one another by a first gap, the first gap forming a first area of reflection, the first area of reflection configured to:
• fold an optical beam and thereby redirect the optical beam into the planar waveguide, and
• reflect stray pumplight toward a first beam dump.

A method comprising:

• generating a first optical beam using a master oscillator;
• generating pumplight using one or more laser diode pump arrays;
• generating a second optical beam based on the first optical beam and the pumplight using a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier;
• using a first optic of a light pipe to substantially homogenize the pumplight via internal reflection and to inject the substantially homogenized pumplight into a planar waveguide of the PWG amplifier;
• and
• using a first area of reflection to fold the first optical beam and thereby redirect the first optical beam into the planar waveguide and to reflect stray pumplight toward a first beam dump, the first area of reflection formed by a first gap separating second and third optics in a cladding of the light pipe;
• wherein the second optical beam has a higher power than the first optical beam.

An apparatus comprising:

• a light pipe comprising a first optic configured to pass pumplight and to inject the pumplight into a planar waveguide of a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier;
• and
• the light pipe also comprising a cladding that comprises second and third optics separated from one another by a first gap, the first gap forming a first area of reflection, the first area of reflection configured to:
• fold an optical beam and thereby redirect the optical beam into the planar waveguide, and
• reflect stray pumplight toward a first beam dump.

An apparatus comprising:

• a light pipe configured to pass pumplight from one or more laser diode pump arrays and to inject the pumplight into a planar waveguide of a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier;
• the light pipe also configured to fold an optical beam and thereby redirect the optical beam from a master oscillator into the planar waveguide;
• the light pipe further configured to scrape stray pumplight so that the stray pumplight is redirected away from the planar waveguide;
• wherein the light pipe comprises:
• a core comprising a first optic configured to guide the pumplight along a guiding axis, the first optic configured to deliver the pumplight into the planar waveguide;
• and
• a cladding comprising second and third optics separated from one another by a first gap, the first gap forming a first area of reflection, the first area of reflection configured to:
• fold the optical beam into the planar waveguide;
• and
• reflect the stray pumplight away from the planar waveguide.