N2 times pulse energy enhancement using coherent addition of n orthogonally phase modulated periodic signals

A method for increasing energy in a pulse optical beam, comprising:

• receiving an optical input beam having a period pulse train with a given repetition frequency;
• splitting the input beam into a plurality of optical signals;
• phase-modulating each signal in the plurality of optical signals at a different phase, such that the plurality of optical signal are orthogonal to each other;
• amplifying each of the phase-modulated signals in the plurality of optical signals;
• and
• coherently combining each of the plurality of optical signals into a single optical output beam using second-harmonic generation.

A system for increasing energy in a pulse optical beam, comprising:

• a splitter configured to receive an optical input beam having a periodic pulse train with a given repetition frequency and operates to split the optical input beam into N optical signals;
• a plurality of phase modulators, each phase modulator in the plurality of phase modulators is configured to receive one of the N optical signals from the splitter and operates to phase modulate the received optical signal at a given phase, such that the phase modulated signals output by the plurality of phase modulators are orthogonal to each other;
• a plurality of amplifiers, each amplifier in the plurality of amplifiers is configured to receive one of the phase modulated signals and operates to amplify the phase modulated signal;
• and
• an optical combiner configured to receive each of the phase modulated signals from the plurality of amplifiers and operate to coherently combine each of the phase modulated signals into a single optical output beam.