Bright diode-laser light-source

A light-source comprising:

• a heat-sink having a planar surface;
• a plurality of diode-laser bars each thereof having a front surface, said front surface having a plurality of diode-laser emitting-areas therein, laser-light being emitted from said emitting-areas in an emission-direction generally perpendicular to said front surface;
• said diode-laser bars arranged in an array with said front surfaces thereof facing in said emission-direction, said diode-laser bars being spaced-apart from each other in said emission-direction, and being thermally coupled to said planar surface of said heat-sink with said emission-direction thereof parallel to said planar surface of said heat sink;
• a plurality of rectangular optical-waveguides, one thereof associated with each of said diode-laser bars, each of said optical-waveguides having an elongated, generally rectangular entrance-face and an exit-face, said entrance-face located proximate the front surface of the said diode-laser bar with which it is associated for receiving laser-light emitted from said diode-laser emitting-areas, said received laser-light propagating along said optical-waveguide to said exit-face thereof;
• each of said plurality of optical-waveguides being inclined, in the vicinity of the said diode-laser bar with which it is associated, at an angle to said planar surface of said heat-sink, said inclination-angle being sufficient that the optical-waveguide may extend freely over an adjacent one of said diode-laser bars;
• and
• said exit-faces of said optical-waveguides arranged to collectively provide an output aperture of the light-source.

A light-source comprising:

• a plurality of diode-laser bars each thereof having a front surface, said front surface having a plurality of diode-laser emitting-areas therein, laser-light being emitted from said emitting-areas in an emission-direction generally perpendicular to said front surface;
• said diode-laser bars arranged in an array with said front surfaces thereof facing in said emission-direction, said diode-laser bars being spaced-apart from each other in said emission-direction, and being located in a plane parallel to said emission-direction;
• a plurality of rectangular optical-waveguides, one thereof associated with each of said diode-laser bars, each of said optical-waveguides having an entrance end including an end-face polished at an angle to the length direction of said optical-waveguide;
• each of said optical-waveguides having said entrance-end thereof aligned with the diode-laser bar with which it is associated and being oriented in the vicinity of said diode-laser bar about perpendicular to said emission direction such that laser-light emitted from said diode-laser emitting-areas enters said optical-waveguide laterally and is reflected internally from said end face thereof along the length direction of said optical-waveguide to said exit-face thereof;
• and
• said exit-faces of said optical-waveguides arranged to collectively provide an output aperture of the light-source.

A light-source comprising:

• a plurality of diode-laser bars each thereof having a front surface, said front surface having a plurality of diode-laser emitting-areas therein, laser-light being emitted from said emitting-areas in an emission-direction generally perpendicular to said front surface;
• said diode-laser bars arranged in an array with said front surfaces thereof facing in said emission-direction, said diode-laser bars being spaced-apart from each other at least in said emission-direction, and being located in a plane parallel to said emission-direction;
• and
• a single optical-waveguide, said optical-waveguide having an entrance end and an exit face, said entrance end arranged to collect laser light-emitted by all of said plurality of diode-laser bars collected light and guide said collected light to an exit face of said optical-waveguide, said output face providing an output-aperture of the light-source.

A light-source comprising:

• a heat-sink having am planar surface;
• a plurality of diode-laser bars each thereof having a front surface, said front surface having a plurality of diode-laser emitting-areas therein, laser-light being emitted from said emitting-areas in an emission-direction generally perpendicular to said front surface;
• said diode-laser bars arranged in an array with said front surfaces thereof facing in said emission-direction, said diode-laser bars being spaced-apart from each other in said emission-direction, and being thermally coupled to said planar surface of said heat-sink, with said emission-direction of said diode-laser bars being at an inclination angle to said planar surface of said heat-sink;
• and
• wherein said inclination angle and said spacing of said diode laser bars is selected such that laser-light emitted from a said diode-laser bar is directed over an adjacent said diode-laser bar in said emission direction.