Coupled multiple output fiber laser

A coupled multiple output fiber laser, comprising:

• a plurality of individual optical cavity fibers allowing light to propagate therein;
• a plurality of reflection means, each disposed along a respective one of said plurality of individual cavity fibers, each for reflecting light at a lasing wavelength;
• a portion of each of said individual cavity fibers being doped with a predetermined gain dopant which allows lasing at said lasing wavelength and receiving pump light which excites said gain dopant to allow said lasing to occur;
• at least one output fiber;
• a common cavity fiber;
• optical coupling means, connected to said at least one output fiber, said common cavity fiber, and said individual cavity fibers, for receiving light from each of said individual fibers, for coupling a predetermined amount of the light in each of said individual fibers to said at least one output fiber and said common cavity fiber, based on a first predetermined power distribution, the light in each output fiber exiting said fiber as respective output light beams;
• common cavity reflection means, disposed along said common cavity fiber, for providing a predetermined amount of reflected feedback light at said lasing wavelength back along said common cavity fiber and back into said coupling means sufficient to provide coupling of said individual cavity fibers, and for passing a predetermined amount of light incident thereon, thereby providing an additional output light beam;
• said coupling means providing a distributed predetermined amount of said feedback light along each of said individual cavity fibers based on a second predetermined power distribution;
• and
• said distributed predetermined amount of said feedback light being incident on a corresponding one of said plurality of reflection means and said distributed predetermined amount of said feedback light at said lasing wavelength being reflected by said corresponding reflection means, thereby creating a plurality of coupled laser cavities each cavity comprising one of said plurality of reflection means and said common reflection means, each cavity lasing at said lasing wavelength, and each of said output beams being phase-locked.