An optical fiber cleaving apparatus that employs a microchip laser system for cleaving an optical fiber is disclosed. The microchip laser system is operably arranged relative to an optical system that receives an initial laser beam and forms a focused laser beam that includes a focus spot. The focus spot is directed to the outer surface of the optical fiber to create an optical damage zone that includes at least one micro-crack necessary for performing the cleaving operation. Methods of aligning the optical fiber to the focus spot and performing the cleaving operation using the cleaving apparatus are also disclosed.

A dual output laser diode may include first and second end facets and an active section. The first and second end facets have low reflectivity. The active section is positioned between the first end facet and the second end facet. The active section is configured to generate light that propagates toward each of the first and second end facets. The first end facet is configured to transmit a majority of the light that reaches the first end facet through the first end facet. The second end facet is configured to transmit a majority of the light that reaches the second end facet through the second end facet.

A dual output laser diode may include first and second end facets and an active section. The first and second end facets have low reflectivity. The active section is positioned between the first end facet and the second end facet. The active section is configured to generate light that propagates toward each of the first and second end facets. The first end facet is configured to transmit a majority of the light that reaches the first end facet through the first end facet. The second end facet is configured to transmit a majority of the light that reaches the second end facet through the second end facet.

A light source unit, a light source module, and a laser ignition device. The light source unit includes a lens array including a plurality of two-dimensionally disposed lenses and a lens substrate portion that supports the lenses, and an element substrate portion that supports a plurality of light emitters. The element substrate portion has a second coefficient of linear expansion. The first coefficient of linear expansion is approximately same as the second coefficient of linear expansion of the element substrate portion. The light source module includes the light source unit, and a condenser lens to collect and condense pump light emitted from the light source unit. The laser ignition device includes the light source module, and a laser resonator to absorb the pump light emitted from the light source unit.

Disclosed are methods and apparatus for generating a sub-200 nm continuous wave (cw) laser. A laser apparatus includes a chamber for receiving at least a rare gas or rare gas mixtures and a pump laser source for generating at least one cw pump laser focused in the chamber for generating at least one laser-sustained plasma in the chamber. The laser apparatus further includes a system for forming an optical cavity in which the at least one laser-sustained plasma serves as an excitation source for producing at least one cw laser having a wavelength that is below about 200 nm. In one aspect, the at least one laser-sustained plasma has a shape that substantially matches a shape of the optical cavity.

An Nd.sup.3+ optical fiber laser and amplifier operating in the wavelength range from 1300 to 1450 nm is described. The fiber includes a rare earth doped optical amplifier or laser operating within this wavelength band is based upon an optical fiber that guides light in this wavelength band. The waveguide structure attenuates light in the wavelength range from 850 nm to 950 nm and from 1050 nm to 1150 nm.

An optical combiner includes: an optical fiber bundle formed by a plurality of first optical fibers; and a second optical fiber including an end surface joined to an end surface of the optical fiber bundle by fusion-splicing. The plurality of first optical fibers includes a predetermined first optical fiber and other first optical fibers. The predetermined first optical fiber is composed of one or more materials having higher softening temperatures than one or more materials of the other first optical fibers.

An optical fiber securing structure includes: an optical fiber including a coating, and a coating-removed section in which a partial section of the coating is removed from the optical fiber; a reinforcement member including main surfaces and a groove formed from one of the main surfaces toward an inside of the reinforcement member, where the groove has a pair of side walls and a bottom wall; and a resin member that secures the coating-removed section to the pair of side walls and the bottom wall. A bottom part of the groove that includes the bottom wall has a widthwise cross-sectional shape where the bottom wall constitutes a trapezoidal shape such that a distance between the pair of side walls becomes greater in a direction away from the bottom wall.

A MOPA laser system that includes a seed laser configured to output pulsed laser light, an amplifier configured to receive and amplify the pulsed laser light emitted by the seed laser; and a pump laser configured to deliver a pump laser beam to both the seed laser and the amplifier.

A 3-dimensional (3-D) inscripted wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) coupler for optical amplifiers is provided. The 3-D WDM coupler includes a substrate. The 3-D WDM coupler further includes a 3-dimensional pump waveguide direct laser inscripted into the substrate. The 3-D WDM coupler also includes a optical pump laser coupled into the 3-dimensional pump waveguide. The 3-D WDM coupler further includes a multicore fiber coupled into cores in the direct laser inscripted substrate.