Edge emitting laser system

A method of manufacturing an edge emitting laser system the method comprising:

• providing a first edge emitting laser;
• configuring the first edge emitting laser to generate laser radiation along a first longitudinal axis defined by an active layer of the first edge emitting laser, and to provide a first output field;
• providing one or more photonic crystal structures which are defined by a two-dimensional period array distributed in an array plane;
• arranging the one or more photonic crystal structures to couple the generated laser radiation laterally across the first edge emitting laser;
• providing a second edge emitting laser;
• configuring the second edge emitting laser to generate laser radiation along a second longitudinal axis defined by an active layer of the second edge emitting laser, and to provide a second output field;
• arranging the second longitudinal axis to be parallel to the first longitudinal axis;
• and
• arranging the one or more photonic crystal structures to couple the generated laser radiation between the first and second edge emitting lasers.