VCSEL and VCSEL array having integrated microlenses for use in a semiconductor laser pumped solid state laser system

A method for generating and emitting a laser beam, comprising:

• generating a pump laser beam within a VCSEL pump source;
• emitting the pump laser beam from the VCSEL pump source through a microlens which is integrated within a substrate of the VCSEL pump source;
• focusing the pump laser beam onto a doped-glass laser with a lens system which comprises the microlens;
• pumping said doped-glass laser with said pump laser beam;
• generating an output laser beam within said doped-glass laser;
• and
• emitting said output laser beam,
• wherein the doped glass laser is a doped glass disk having a highly refelective mirror coating on a first face and a partially reflective coating on an opposing, output face, the highly reflective mirror faces the VCSEL pump source and is arranged to be transmitting at a wavelength of the VCSEL pump source.

A tunable laser, comprising:

• a semiconductor pump laser;
• a laser output coupler disposed proximate said semiconductor pump laser;
• a solid laser gain medium disposed between said semiconductor pump laser and said output coupler;
• and
• a tunable wavelength selective device disposed between said solid laser gain medium and said laser output coupler,
• wherein the solid laser gain medium is a doped glass disk having a highly reflective mirror coating on a first face, the highly reflective mirror faces the semiconductor pump laser and is arranged to be transmitting at the wavelength of the semiconductor pump laser,
• wherein said semiconductor pump laser pumps said solid laser gain medium substantially along a path coinciding with a light output path, from a side opposed to said light output side.

A method for generating a beam of light, comprising:

• pumping a solid laser gain medium with a VCSEL pump source along a pump direction, said gain medium being disposed within a laser resonant cavity;
• and
• selecting an output wavelength from a range of wavelengths from said laser resonant cavity,
• wherein said beam of light generated is substantially co-linear with said pump direction, on an opposing side of said solid laser gain medium, and
• wherein a tunable wavelength selective device is disposed in the resonant cavity, the tunable wavelength selective device is constructed to restrict the laser output to a wavelength from said laser cavity.