High reliability high power high brightness blue laser diode systems and methods of making the same

A high power, high brightness solid-state laser assembly, for providing a high-quality blue laser beam over long periods of time without substantial degradation of the laser beam properties, the assembly comprising:

• a. a housing, the housing defining an internal cavity;
• wherein the internal cavity is isolated from an environment that is external to the housing;
• b. a plurality of diode laser devices for propagating a plurality of laser beams from a plurality of facets along a plurality of diode laser beam paths, wherein the laser beams have a wavelength in the range of 400 nm to 500 nm;
• and wherein each laser beam has a power density of at least about 0.5 MW/cm2 at the facets;
• c. an optics assembly, the optics assembly in optical communication with the diode laser devices and on the laser beam paths;
• the optics assembly comprising collimating optics and beam combining optics;
• d. the optics assembly combining the plurality of diode laser beams to provide a combined laser beam along a combined laser beam path;
• e. wherein the plurality of diode laser devices and the optics assembly are located within the housing and in the internal cavity, whereby the plurality of diode laser devices and the optics assembly are isolated from the external environment;
• f. the housing comprising a housing propagation surface, whereby the combined laser beam is transmitted from the housing into the external environment along the combined laser beam path;
• the housing propagation surface in optical communication with the optics assembly and on the combined laser beam path;
• g. the combined laser beam upon exiting the housing propagation surface characterized by beam properties, the beam properties comprising:
• (i) a power of at least 100 W;
• and, (ii) a BPP of less than 40 mm mrad;
• and,
• h. the internal cavity being free from sources of silicon based contaminates, whereby during operation of the plurality of diode laser devices SiO2 is not produced within the internal cavity;
• whereby the internal cavity avoids SiO2 buildup;
• thereby the degradation rate of the combined beam properties is 2.3% per khrs or less.

A high power, high brightness solid-state laser assembly, for providing a high-quality blue laser beam over long periods of time without substantial degradation of the laser beam properties, the assembly comprising:

• a. a housing, the housing defining an internal cavity;
• wherein the internal cavity defines an isolated environment;
• b. a plurality of optically active surfaces, wherein a blue laser beam is propagated from, transmitted into or reflected by the optically active surfaces;
• the plurality of optically active surfaces located within the isolated environment of the internal cavity of the housing;
• at least one of the optically active surfaces being located on a solid-state laser device;
• c. wherein the laser beam has a power density of at least about 0.5 MW/cm2 at one or more of the optically active surfaces;
• and,
• d. the internal cavity being free from sources of silicon based contaminates, whereby during operation of the solid-state laser device SiO2 production is avoided within the internal cavity;
• wherein the internal cavity comprises a gas comprising Oxygen;
• whereby during operation of the solid-state laser device CO2 is created within the internal cavity from carbon based contaminates;
• e. whereby the plurality of optically active surfaces avoids carbon and SiO2 build up;
• thereby the degradation rate of a power of the blue laser beam is 2.3% per khrs or less.

A high power, high brightness solid-state laser device package, for integration into laser systems providing a high-quality blue laser beam over long periods of time without substantial degradation of the laser beam properties, the package comprising:

• a. a housing, the housing defining an internal cavity;
• wherein the internal cavity is isolated from an environment that is external to the housing;
• b. the housing comprising a window, wherein the window defines a portion of the internal cavity;
• c. a solid-state device for propagating a laser beam from a propagation surface of the solid-state device along a laser beam path, wherein the laser beam has a wavelength in the range of 410 nm to 500 nm;
• and
• wherein the laser beam has a power density of at least about 0.5 MW/cm2 at the propagation surface;
• d. the window in optical communication with the solid-state device and on the laser beam path;
• e. wherein the solid-state device is located within the housing and in the internal cavity and wherein an inner surface of the window is not exposed to the external environment, whereby the solid-state device and the inner surface of the window are isolated from the external environment;
• f. whereby the laser beam is transmitted from the housing through the window into the external environment along the laser beam path;
• g. the internal cavity being free from sources of silicon based contaminates, whereby during operation of the solid-state device SiO2 production within the internal cavity is avoided;
• whereby the internal cavity avoids SiO2 buildup;
• thereby the degradation rate of the beam properties is 2.3% per khrs or less;
• and,
• h. wherein the internal cavity comprises a gas comprising at least 1% Oxygen;
• whereby during operation of the solid-state device CO2 is created within the internal cavity from carbon based contaminates, whereby the propagation surface of solid-state device and an inner surface of the window remain free of Carbon buildup.