Fiber Laser Array
Abstract
Investigations of the coherent combining of fiber lasers using intracavity coupling have focused on the use of the Talbot effect, an external master oscillator, and the use of coherent coupling to create nonlinear, i.e., field-dependent, loss within the coupled laser array. During this program, Jaycor focused on the construction and use of an experimental apparatus that can be used to investigate the coherent combination of an array of fiber lasers. The apparatus was designed to emphasize reconfiguration flexibility and permit a wide range of key parameters to be varied. These include key laser cavity parameters, such as gain and output coupling, and key array parameters, such as the amplitude and phase of mutually coupled fields. Coherent intracavity coupling of large arrays is complicated by the presence of multiple longitudinal modes that can be simultaneously supported by the individual lasers. These individual modes do not, in general, have the same optical frequencies as one moves across the elements. While two element arrays can be easily operated in a coherent fashion, four element arrays showed a lower fraction of coherent power and greater sensitivity to fluctuations of the laboratory environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA403729
Entities
People
- Thomas B. Simpson