Method and apparatus for combining two lower power laser beams to produce a combined higher power beam

摘要

Apparatus for combining two laser beams each having a power level into a common colinear laser beam having a power level that is the sum of the power levels of the two laser beams comprising a support, a polarization selective device disposed on the support having a first surfaces upon which a first of the laser beams impinges for transmitting the first laser beam with substantially full power transmission along an axis and having a second surface upon which the second laser beam impinges for reflecting the second laser beam with substantially full power along the axis, resulting in a common colinear beam along the axis, and suitable optical and/or mechanical devices disposed on the support for providing the first and second laser beams to the polarization selective device, the first and second laser beams being substantially orthogonally polarized with respect to each other.