Incoherent Combining of High-Power Fibers Lasers for Long-Range Directed Energy Applications
Abstract
We present a configuration for incoherently combining fiber lasers, which can be used for long-range directed energy applications. Unlike coherent beam combining approaches, incoherent combining does not require phase loclcing, the polarization of the lasers can be random, and the linewidths can be large. These relazed requirements allow for the use of recently developed high-power (>2 kW/fiber), single mode, high quality (M2 < 1.2) fiber lasers having relatively large linewidths (>1%). These high-power lasers cannot be used for coherent beam combining. The proposed incoherent combining configuration consists ofafiberlaser array in which the beams dilfractto aspot size of-4cm onto individual collimating lenses. The collimated beams can be directed to a target many kilometers away by individual steering mirrors, which form the beam director. We present parameters for an incoherently combined laser system that can deliver 100 kW of CW power on a target area of 100 cm2 at a range of 5 km. The system has 49 fiber lasers and a beam director with transverse dimension 60 cm x 60 cm. This configuration is readily scalable to higher powers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 27, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA452452
Entities
People
- Antonio Ting
- Joseph R. Peñano
- Phillip A. Sprangle
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory