Staggered array coupler

A stepped diode assembly adapted for use in a staggered array coupler comprising:

• a stepped support member having a plurality of steps, a step contact surface, and a cooling surface;
• and
• a plurality of diode bars, each of said plurality of diode bars being disposed on a respective one of said plurality of steps;
• wherein an emitter face of each of the plurality of diode bars is configured to be disposed adjacent to an input face an optical waveguide plate wherein two or more optical waveguide plates are in contact with each other.

A method of manufacturing a staggered array coupler comprising the steps of:

• forming a support structure having a support surface with two or more steps, each of said two or more steps being adapted to a diode bar height;
• placing a diode bar into thermal contact with each said two or more steps;
• placing an optical waveguide plate adjacent to an emitting area of each of said diode bars;
• aligning output faces of said optical waveguide plates in a desired orientation;
• and
• fusing said optical waveguide plates.

A method of producing high-power pump energy comprising the steps of:

• positioning two or more diode bars offset to each other on a support structure having two or more steps;
• energizing each of said two or more diode bars to produce a diode bar output and forming two or more diode bar outputs;
• directing each of said two or more diode bar outputs into an optical waveguide plate through an input face wherein two or more optical waveguide plates are in contact with each other;
• and
• directing each of said two or more diode bar outputs from an associated optical waveguide plate to a desired location.