US Patent 7646546 Anamorphic optical system providing a highly polarized laser output

Apparatus and methods are disclosed for transforming a laser beam to a polarized shaped beam in, for example, a frequency converted laser system. In one embodiment, an anamorphic optical system includes a first prism and a second prism that can be configured to form a Brewster telescope, the first prism and second prism each having an input surface and an exit surface, and wherein at least one surface of the input or exit surfaces are coated with a polarization selective coating. The optical system can include an adjustment system configured to change the position of one or both of the first prism and the second prism to adjust the transformation of the shape of the laser beam. In some embodiments of the optical system, a configuration of the first prism, the second prism, and the polarization selective coating produce a laser beam having a polarization ratio of about 100:1 or higher.