Dual frequency laser amplifier array and operating method therefor

A dual frequency laser amplifier comprising:

• first means for generating a first source laser beam at a first wavelength;
• second means for generating a second source laser beam at a second frequency;
• third means receiving said first and said second source laser beams for combining said first and second source laser beams to thereby generate a combined laser beam;
• fourth means operatively coupled to said third means for generating N first source laser beams and for generating N second source laser beams responsive to said combined laser beam;
• fifth means for amplifying the power level of each of said N first source laser beams and said N second source laser beams to thereby produce N first amplified laser beans and N second amplified laser beams, said fifth means including at least one section of co-doped optical fiber;
• and
• sixth means for combining said first and second N amplified laser beams to thereby produce a diffraction limited output laser beam, wherein the radiated power distribution between said first and said second wavelengths in said diffraction limited output laser beam reflects the relative radiated power between said first and said second source laser beams;
• where N is an integer greater than 1.

A method for operating a dual frequency laser amplifier having a beam generator for generating first and second source laser beams, and a co-doped optical fiber including first and second ions having first and second gain bandwidths corresponding to the respective wavelengths of said first and second source laser beams for selectively forming first and second diffraction limited output laser beams, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying only said first source laser beams to the co-doped optical fiber to thereby generate only said first diffraction limited laser beam;
• applying only said second source laser beams to the co-doped optical fiber to thereby generate only said second diffraction limited laser beam;
• and
• simultaneously applying said first and said second source laser beams to the co-doped optical fiber to thereby simultaneously generate said first and second diffraction limited output laser beams, wherein the radiated power of said first and second diffraction limited output laser beams is determined by the relative radiated power between said first and second source laser beams.

A dual frequency laser oscillator comprising:

• a beam generator for generating first and second source laser beams;
• and
• a co-doped optical fiber including first and second ions having first and second gain bandwidths corresponding to the respective wavelengths of said first and second source laser beams for selectively forming first and second diffraction limited output laser beams responsive to the relative radiated power between said first and second source laser beams;
• wherein said beam generator and said co-doped optical fiber are both feedforward and feedback coupled to one another.