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US 5,027,359 AGranted
Miniature Talbot cavity for lateral mode control of laser array
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsJames R. Leger, Gary J. Swanson
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AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsJames R. Leger, Gary J. Swanson
Estimating the term…
An apparatus for coherent beam combining of lasers and for lateral mode control is disclosed, comprising a miniature Talbot cavity having at least a first and second surface. The first surface is to receive light from said lasers, and the second surface contains a reflecting mirror. In one embodiment, the mirror spaced apart from said first surface by a distance Z=nd.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the laser wavelength, and d is the laser aperture spacing. In this embodiment, the mirror is divided into reflecting and non-reflecting portions, the reflecting portions patterned to reflect only that portion of the light from said lasers having a half-period shift corresponding to a fundamental lateral mode. In another embodiment, the mirror is spaced apart from the first surface by a distance Z, such that nd.sup.2 /.lambda.<Z<(n+1)d.sup.2 /.lambda., where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the laser wavelength, and d is the laser aperture spacing. In both embodiments, a lenslet array may be place to receive the light from the lasers, the lenslet array being separated from the mirror by the distance Z. The government has rights in this invention pursuant to contract number F19682-85-C-0002 awarded by the Department of the Air Force.
An apparatus for coherent beam combining and for lateral mode control of an array of lasers comprising a miniature Talbot cavity formed between said array and a surface spaced apart from said array by a distance Z=nd.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the wavelength of the lasers, and d is the laser aperture spacing in said array, said surface being divided into partially reflecting and non-reflecting portions, said partially reflecting portions partially reflecting only that portion of the light from said lasers having a half period shaft corresponding to a fundamental lateral mode.
An apparatus for coherent beam combining and for lateral mode control of an array of lasers comprising a miniature Talbot cavity formed between said array and a partially reflecting mirror spaced apart from said array by a distance Z, such that nd.sup.2 /.lambda.<Z<(n+1)d.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the wavelength of the lasers, and d is the laser aperture spacing in said array.
An apparatus for coherent beam combining and for lateral mode control of an array of lasers comprising a miniature Talbot cavity formed between a lenslet array positioned to receive light from said lasers and a surface spaced apart from said lenslet array by a distance Z=nd.sup.2 /.lambda. where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the wavelength of the lasers, and d is the laser aperture spacing in said laser array, said surface being divided into partially reflecting and non-reflecting portions, said partially reflecting portions partially reflecting only that portion of the light from said lasers having a half period shift corresponding to a fundamental lateral mode.
An apparatus for coherent beam combining and for lateral mode control of an array of lasers comprising a miniature Talbot cavity formed between a lenslet array positioned to receive light from said lasers and a partially reflecting mirror spaced apart from said lenslet array by a distance Z, such that ##EQU5## where n is a nonnegative integer, .lambda. is the wavelength of the lasers, and d is the laser aperture spacing in said laser array.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.