Injected phase conjugate laser amplifier

Abstract

An apparatus 10 and method for producing a high-energy laser beam 14'". A low-power, good quality, input laser beam 14 is produced by master oscillator 12. The low-power beam 14 is focused at an input focal point 20 and reflected from turning flat 22 to a power amplifier 24 where it is amplified to a moderate power level. It is then transmitted through a polarization beam splitter 28 and its optical path length adjusted by adjustment means 30,32,34,36 prior to being directed to a phase conjugator 44. A quarter-wave plate 40 causes the phase conjugated returning beam 14" to be orthogonally polarized thereby reflecting it from polarization beam splitters 38,28. Beam 14" is then passed through the power amplifier 24 and focused at an output focal point 50 in a vacuum. The resultant high-power output beam 14'" is produced without significant degradation in the beam quality.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.