Power scalable optical systems for generating, transporting, and delivering high power, high quality laser beams

Laser amplifier apparatus, comprising:

• a multi-mode, rectangular, self-imaging, waveguide comprising a core of optical gain or mixing medium with a rectangular cross-section, opposed top and bottom surfaces, and opposed left and right lateral surfaces, reflectors adjacent the left and right lateral surfaces, an inlet aperture, and an outlet aperture;
• a pump light source coupled optically into the core;
• and
• an optical system positioned to couple an input laser beam with a desired spatial profile to the input aperture at an angle that propagates the laser beam to reflect off the reflectors in a zig-zag path in the core medium to the outlet aperture positioned in a re-imaging plane where the beam re-phases into the desired spatial profile,
• wherein the pump light source is coupled optically into a portion of the core where the optical path has a higher density than another portion of the core.

Laser apparatus, comprising:

• a multi-mode, rectangular, self-imaging, waveguide, which has a core comprising a solid gain medium laminated between two sheets of cladding with exterior surfaces, said waveguide being sandwiched between two heat sinks, each of which has a heat sink surface that interfaces in contacting relation with one of the exterior surfaces of the cladding and that extends outwardly beyond the cladding to form a pump mounting surface;
• at least one laser diode pump light source mounted in thermally conductive relation to the heat sink surfaces and in a position to couple pump light into the core;
• and
• an optical system configured and positioned to direct a beam into the core of the waveguide with a desired spatial profile and to couple the beam out of the core after the beam has extracted pump energy from the core and at a re-imaging plane where, after having separated into multiple modes of propagation through the core, the beam re-phases into the desired spatial profile.

Laser apparatus, comprising:

• a multi-mode, rectangular, self-imaging, waveguide, which has a core comprising an unclad, solid gain medium and at least one flat side;
• a heat sink with at least one flat side positioned in thermally conductive relation to the flat side of the core;
• at least one laser diode pump light source mounted in position to couple pump light into the core;
• and
• an optical system configured and positioned to direct a beam into the core of the waveguide with a desired spatial profile and to couple the beam out of the core after the beam has extracted pump energy from the core and at a re-imaging plane, where, after having separated into multiple modes of propagation through the core, the beam re-phases into the desired spatial profile.