Optically-pumped external-cavity surface-emitting semiconductor lasers with front-cooled gain-structures

A semiconductor gain-structure functions as a gain-element in a laser-resonator. The gain-structure is bonded to a diamond heat-spreader that is peripherally cooled by a heat-sink configured to allow access to the gain-structure by laser-radiation circulating in the laser-resonator. In one example, the gain-structure is used as a transmissive gain-structure in a traveling-wave ring-resonator. In another example, the gain-structure surmounts mirror-structure which functions as an end-mirror of a standing-wave laser-resonator.