Fiber-coupled diode lasers and beam-shaped high-power stacks

High power diode lasers based on multistripe, multimode array bars enter numerous fields of applications due to their high performance and high reliability. Beam shaping optics that transfer the light from the facet of the diode laser to the target play a key role for most of the applications. Sophisticated optics must be adapted to a single or multiple number of diode laser bars to generate high power densities and small spots at the target. The physical and practical limitations are discussed.