A system includes a master oscillator configured to generate a low-power optical beam. The system also includes a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier configured to receive the low-power optical beam and generate a high-power optical beam having a power of at least about ten kilowatts. The PWG amplifier includes a single laser gain medium configured to generate the high-power optical beam. The single laser gain medium can reside within a single amplifier beamline of the system. The master oscillator and the PWG amplifier can be coupled to an optical bench assembly, and the optical bench assembly can include optics configured to route the low-power optical beam to the PWG amplifier and to route the high-power optical beam from the PWG amplifier. The PWG amplifier could include a cartridge that contains the single laser gain medium and a pumphead housing that retains the cartridge.

A high-efficiency laser pumping device is provided, wherein a dielectric with or without a tapered aperture is used to accept, guide, and concentrate a pump light toward a laser gain material. Preferably, the dielectric is also a heat insulator between the pump-light source and the laser gain material. The pump-light source includes an array of light-emitting diodes, or an array of laser diodes, or an array of mixed light-emitting-diodes and laser diodes. Preferably, the input and output faces of the dielectric are optically coated with dielectric layers to maximize the pump brightness toward the laser gain material. A high-efficiency laser-pumping system with active cooling apparatus is further provided, wherein a plural number of the optical-guiding and thermal-insulation dielectrics are arranged to receive the pump lights from a plural number of pump-light sources, configured to concentrate all the pump light toward a laser gain material.

A solid state laser module for amplification of laser radiation including a laser gain medium disk. The disk has a pair of generally parallel surfaces that receive, reflect, or transmit laser radiation. At least one perimetral optical medium is disposed adjacent a peripheral edge of the laser gain medium disk and in optical communication therewith. A source of optical pump radiation directs optical pump radiation through the perimetral optical medium and into the laser gain medium disk to pump the laser gain medium to produce optical gain at the laser wavelength. A dichroic beam splitter is located between the optical pump source and the perimetral optical medium to prevent amplified spontaneous emission generated within the laser gain medium from illuminating the source of optical pump radiation.

A system includes a laser system having a master oscillator and a planar waveguide (PWG) amplifier having one or more laser diode pump arrays, a PWG pumphead, input optics, and output optics. The PWG pumphead is configured to receive a low-power optical beam from the master oscillator and generate a high-power optical beam. The PWG pumphead includes a laser gain medium, a cartridge, and a pumphead housing. The cartridge is configured to receive and retain the laser gain medium, and the cartridge includes one or more cooling channels configured to transport coolant in order to cool the laser gain medium. The pumphead housing is configured to receive and retain the cartridge, where the cartridge is removable from the housing.

An optical combiner 3 includes a plurality of incoming optical fibers 10, an outgoing optical fiber 20, and a plurality of bridge fibers 60, 50 provided between the plurality of incoming optical fibers 10 and the outgoing optical fiber 20, the plurality of bridge fibers 60, 50 being optically coupled to each other. In the bridge fibers 60, 50, a ratio of the outer diameter of a core 61, 51 to the outer diameter of a cladding 62, 52 is smaller in a bridge fiber located more apart from the incoming optical fiber 10.

A system includes a master oscillator configured to generate a first optical beam and a beam controller configured to modify the first optical beam. The system also includes a PWG amplifier configured to receive the modified first optical beam and generate a second optical beam having a higher power than the first optical beam. The second optical beam has a power of at least about ten kilowatts. The PWG amplifier includes a single laser gain medium configured to generate the second optical beam. The system further includes a feedback loop configured to control the master oscillator, PWG amplifier, and beam controller. The feedback loop includes a laser controller. The laser controller may be configured to process wavefront information or power in bucket information associated with the second optical beam to control an adaptive optic or perform a back-propagation algorithm to provide wavefront correction at an output of the PWG amplifier.

A fiber support assembly includes: a first glass tube, wherein the first glass tube is at tached to a microlens or lenslet of a microlens or lenslet array; a second glass tube at least partially disposed within the first glass tube; and a gain fiber disposed within the second glass tube, wherein the gain fiber has a first tapered end cap, and wherein the gain fiber with the first tapered end cap is aligned to the microlens or lenslet attached to the first glass tube. The fiber support assembly may further include: a pump fiber disposed within the second glass tube, wherein the pump fiber has a second tapered end cap; and a reflector configured to receive counter-pumping light from the pump fiber and direct the counter-pumping light to the first tapered end cap of the gain fiber.

A fiber optic assembly includes: a gain fiber configured to output signal light; a first taper configured to expand the signal light output by the gain fiber; and a reversing prism configured to receive counter-pumping light and output the counter-pumping light into the first taper. The first taper is further configured to direct the counter-pumping light towards the gain fiber.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with a sub-nanosecond round trip time.

Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for applying laser energy having desired pulse characteristics, including a sufficiently short duration and/or a sufficiently high energy for the photomechanical treatment of skin pigmentations and pigmented lesions, both naturally-occurring (e.g., birthmarks), as well as artificial (e.g., tattoos). The laser energy may be generated with an apparatus having a resonator with a sub-nanosecond round trip time.