Patent ID: 8576885

Claim:
An optical pump for a high power laser comprising: at least a first optical pump module including; a high power VCSEL chip, said VCSEL chip further including, at least one VCSEL array having a plurality of VCSEL devices, wherein a respective first terminal of each VCSEL device are connected together to a first electrical contact, and a respective second terminal of each VCSEL device connected together to a second electrical contact, a heat spreading mount including at least two contact pads of which at least a first contact pad covers a large area on the mount, wherein the VCSEL array is bonded to the first contact pad such that the first electrical contact is electrically connected to the first contact pad, and the second electrical contact is electrically connected to a second contact pad, such that the first and second contact pads form a first and second electrode of the pump module; wherein, the optical pump is positioned proximal to a laser resonant cavity, for coupling the pump light to a gain medium placed in the resonant cavity.