Ring amplifier for extended range steerable laser transmitter and active sensor

A laser device, comprising:

• a laser configured to generate a collimated spot-beam at an input wavelength along an optical axis;
• a liquid crystal waveguide (LCWG) along the optical axis responsive to command signals to steer the collimated spot-beam at the input wavelength in two-dimensions about the optical axis;
• a controller configured to issue command signals to the LCWG to steer the collimated spot-beam;
• a fixed mirror having a conic section oriented along the optical axis that redirects the collimated spot-beam to scan a circular pattern about and away from the optical axis in a two-dimensional field-of-view (FOV);
• a ring amplifier in a plane normal to the optical axis, said ring amplifier comprising one or more pumps configured to pump a gain medium in the form of a ring around said optical axis, said gain medium having first and second sidewalls perpendicular to the optical axis;
• and
• a plurality of mirrors positioned fore and aft of the gain medium to redirect the collimated spot-beam traveling along a path to enter and exit sidewalls of the gain medium and pass through the gain medium multiple times to amplify the collimated spot-beam and return the amplified collimated spot-beam along the path to scan the circular pattern.

An optical amplifier, comprising

• a ring element with a ring-shaped optical gain medium around an axis,
• one or more pumps to optically pump the ring-shaped optical gain medium;
• and
• a plurality of mirrors positioned fore and aft of the gain medium to redirect a collimated spot-beam traveling along a path away from the axis to enter and exit sidewalls of the gain medium and pass through the gain medium multiple times to amplify the collimated spot-beam and return the amplified collimated spot-beam along the path.