Stable high efficiency multiple wavelength laser sources

Apparatus comprising:

• a feedback stabilization arrangement comprising a multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising a plurality of n first input/output ports and a second input/output port, each first input/output port being adapted for receiving an output wavelength signal from a corresponding one of a plurality of n laser sources for filtering and multiplexing the received laser source signals using a first spectral response for generating a filtered and multiplexed output signal for transmission from the feedback stabilization arrangement at the second input/output port thereof, and for generating a filtered and demultiplexed feedback signal by the multiplexer/demultiplexer that is wavelength shifted by a predetermined amount and direction for transmission back to an output port of each of the corresponding ones of the plurality of n laser sources for stabilizing each of said plurality of laser sources at a desired output center wavelength;
• and
• a reflector located at a predetermined signal roundtrip time delay distance from the feedback stabilization arrangement for receiving the filtered and multiplexed output signal from the feedback stabilization arrangement, for passing a first portion thereof therethrough, and for reflecting a remaining second portion back to the feedback stabilization arrangement as a secondary feedback signal that contributes to each of the plurality of n laser sources being set in a stabile coherence collapse mode.

A feedback stabilization system comprising:

• a plurality of n laser sources, each laser source, which, while emitting light and having a preselected portion thereof fed back thereto, causes the fed back portion to be amplified and shifted in wavelength in a first direction which is spaced apart from the center wavelength of the feedback signal;
• a feedback stabilization arrangement comprising a multiplexer/demultiplexer comprising a plurality of n first input/output ports, each first input/output port being coupled for receiving an output signal from a corresponding one of the plurality of n laser sources for filtering the received signals using a first spectral response and multiplexing the received signals for generating a filtered and multiplexed output signal at a second input/output port thereof for use as an output signal from the feedback stabilization arrangement, and for generating a filtered and demultiplexed feedback signal by the multiplexer/demultiplexer that is wavelength shifted by a predetermined amount and direction for transmission back to an output port of each of the corresponding ones of the plurality of n laser sources for stabilizing each of said plurality of laser sources at the desired output center wavelength;
• and
• a reflector located at a predetermined signal round-trip time delay distance from the feedback stabilization arrangement for receiving the multiplexed output signal from the feedback stabilization arrangement, for passing a first portion thereof therethrough, and for reflecting a remaining second portion back to the feedback stabilization arrangement as a secondary feedback signal that contributes to each of the plurality of n laser sources being set in a stabile coherence collapse mode.

A method of stabilizing a laser system to generate an output signal having a desired wavelength comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating light signals from each of a plurality of n laser sources, which, while emitting light and having a preselected portion thereof fed back thereto, the output signal of each of the plurality of n laser sources is shifted in wavelength in a first direction which is spaced apart from a center wavelength of the feedback signal;
• (b) generating a feedback signal in a feedback stabilization arrangement that is coupled to the plurality of n laser sources having a wavelength spectrum peaking at a wavelength shifted in an opposite direction to the first direction generated by the plurality of n lasers in response to the feedback signal so as to provide an output signal at the output of the stabilized laser system having a wavelength spectrum that peaks essentially at the desired wavelength;
• and
• (c) reflecting a portion of the output signal from the stabilized laser system from step (b) back into the laser system as a secondary feedback signal that is delay by a predetermined amount for contributing to each of the plurality of n laser sources being set in a stable coherence collapse mode.