US Patent 10211592 Fiber laser with free-space components

In one embodiment, a laser system includes a seed laser diode configured to produce a free-space seed-laser beam. The laser system also includes a pump laser diode configured to produce a free-space pump-laser beam. The laser system further includes an optical-beam combiner configured to combine the seed-laser and pump-laser beams into a combined free-space beam and a focusing lens configured to focus the combined beam. The laser system also includes an optical gain fiber that includes an input end configured to receive the focused beam. The laser system also includes a mounting platform, where one or more of the optical-beam combiner, the focusing lens, and the input end of the gain fiber are mechanically attached to the platform.