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US 6,714,581 B2Granted
Compact phase locked laser array and related techniques
OwnerChristopher J. Corcoraninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electro-optical system includes a plurality of electromagnetic gain media having a corresponding plurality of apertures. The apertures are disposed in a predetermined spatial distribution. The system further includes a refracting surface disposed to intercept energy from the plurality of apertures and a partially reflecting surface to direct portions of the intercepted energy back toward the plurality of apertures with the directed energy being distributed about the plurality of apertures.
Claims39
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media, each of said plurality of gain media electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a refracting surface disposed to intercept energy emitted from the plurality of apertures of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media;
- and
- a partially reflecting surface disposed to direct portions of the energy intercepted by said refracting surface back toward the plurality of apertures through said refracting surface wherein said refracting surface is provided having a shape selected such that the directed energy is distributed about the plurality of apertures in a predetermined pattern.
1 more element
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media having apertures thereof disposed in a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element disposed to intercept energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media and partially direct the energy back toward the plurality of apertures of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with the directed energy being distributed about the plurality of electromagnetic gain media;
- and
- wherein the predetermined spatial distribution provides a spatial filter establishing a composite beam comprised of energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with phase coherency.
1 more element
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element disposed to intercept energy emitted from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media for forming an interference pattern across the apertures, such interference pattern having regions of constructive interference and regions of destructive interference;
- and
- wherein the regions of constructive interference are disposed on the apertures producing an output of the system a composite beam comprised of energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with phase coherency.
1 more element
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media, each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element disposed to intercept energy emitted from each of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media and to direct the energy from each of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media back toward the plurality of apertures of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with the directed energy being distributed about the plurality of aperture;
- and
- wherein the predetermined spatial distribution provides a spatial filter establishing a composite beam by combining in parallel the energy from each of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media.
1 more element
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged to emit electromagnetic energy in a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element disposed to intercept electromagnetic energy emitted from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media and to direct the electromagnetic energy back toward the plurality of apertures of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with the directed electromagnetic energy being distributed about the apertures, such common optical element comprises a lens adjacent to a partially reflecting surface.
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element disposed approximately to intercept energy emitted from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media and partially direct the energy back toward the plurality of apertures of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with the directed energy being distributed about the apertures, wherein said common optical element comprises a Fourier transform lens adjacent to a partially reflecting surface.
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution having a spacing D;
- a common optical element having a refracting surface and a partially reflecting surface, and disposed to direct the energy back toward the plurality of apertures of the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with the directed energy being distributed about the apertures, such common optical element being spaced apart from the apertures to intercept energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media by approximately a distance D2/λ where λ is a nominal wavelength of an output beam.
An electro-optical system, comprising:
- a plurality of electromagnetic gain media each of said plurality of electromagnetic gain media having an aperture, wherein said plurality of electromagnetic gain media are disposed such that the apertures are arranged with a predetermined spatial distribution;
- a common optical element comprising:
- a refracting surface disposed to intercept energy emitted from the plurality of apertures;
- a partially reflecting surface disposed to direct a portion of the intercepted energy back toward the plurality of apertures with the directed energy being distributed among the plurality of apertures;
- and
- such common optical element being spaced apart from the plurality of apertures by approximately one half a focal length of the common optical element.
3 more elements
A cavity for combining electromagnetic energy from a plurality of electromagnetic gain media having a corresponding plurality of apertures, comprising:
- a housing having a first surface;
- a plurality of slots disposed on said first surface in a predetermined spatial distribution to receive the plurality of electromagnetic gain media;
- a common optical element disposed to intercept energy passed through the plurality of apertures, wherein the common optical element is disposed to direct the intercepted energy back toward and distributed upon the plurality of apertures;
- and
- wherein the predetermined spatial distribution provides a spatial filter establishing a composite beam comprised of energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media with phase coherency.
2 more elements
A method of producing a phase coherent beam comprising:
- providing a plurality of apertures for a plurality of electromagnetic gain media, for producing a plurality of radiation beams;
- providing a refracting surface and a partially reflecting surface disposed to reflect portions of the radiation beams;
- and
- spacing each of the plurality of apertures apart in a predetermined spatial distribution to provide a spatial filter, wherein each of the plurality of apertures receives a portion of the reflected portions of the radiation beams, for establishing a composite beam comprised of energy from the plurality of electromagnetic gain media having phase coherency.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.