Dear friends,

We would like to combine two CO2 laser (each 100W) placed one aside of the other to one beam. We were told that the laser beam has to be polarized.

We have the following questions:

1.Must the laser source be polarized by the laser producer? If the producer
can NOT provide the laser source polarized, can it be done in the optical
beam combining unit?
2.What optical components are needed to combine the two beams to one?
3.What is the difference between beam combiner as a mirror or as a cube?
What is better for this application?
4.Can someone draw for our better understanding the schematic beams
paths and the needed optics?
5.Can, theoretically two pairs of combined beams be combined again, forming
one beam (of 400W)?

Thanks in advance

Jacob