High power semiconductor laser system

Abstract

A high power optical system includes an array of a plurality of semiconductor laser diodes each having a light emitting surface. A plurality of optical fibers each has one end adjacent the light emitting surface of a separate one of the semiconductor laser diodes. A cylindrical lens extends transversely across the one end of each of the optical fibers to direct the light beam from the semiconductor laser diode into the optical fiber. The other ends of the optical fibers are bundled together so as to effectively emit a single beam of a power equal to the combined beams from each of the optical fibers. A delivery optical fiber has an end adjacent the bundled ends of the optical fibers. A lens system, which is between the bundled ends of the optical fibers and the delivery optical fiber, directs the large beam of light emitted from the bundled ends of the optical fibers into the delivery optical fiber. Each of the optical fibers has a numerical aperture less than the numerical aperture of the delivery optical fiber, and preferably a numerical aperture of between about 0.12 and 0.14.