Patent ID: 8424617

Claim:
A system for creating a borehole in the earth comprising: a. a high power laser source; b. a bottom hole assembly; c. a fiber optically connecting the laser source with the bottom hole assembly, such that a laser beam from the laser source is transmitted to the bottom hole assembly, wherein the laser beam has a Gaussian profile at the fiber bottom hole assembly connection; d. a means for providing the laser beam to a bottom surface of the borehole; e. a beam power deposition optic having a property of changing an energy distribution profile within the laser beam; and, f. the bottom hole assembly comprising: i. the means for providing the laser beam to the bottom surface of the borehole; and, ii. the providing means comprising the beam power deposition optic; g. wherein, the laser beam as delivered from the bottom hole assembly illuminates the bottom surface of the borehole with a substantially even energy deposition profile on the bottom surface.