Title :
Laser beam combining for high-power, high-radiance sources
Author_Institution :
Quantum Electron. Group, MIT Lincoln Lab., Cambridge, MA, USA
Abstract :
Beam combining of laser arrays with high efficiency and good beam quality for power and radiance (brightness) scaling is a long-standing problem in laser technology. Recently, significant progress has been made using wavelength (spectral) techniques and coherent (phased array) techniques, which has led to the demonstration of beam combining of a large semiconductor diode laser array (100 array elements) with near-diffraction-limited output (M2∼1.3) at significant power (35 W). This paper provides an overview of progress in beam combining and highlights some of the tradeoffs among beam-combining techniques.
Keywords :
laser beams; light diffraction; semiconductor laser arrays; 35 W; beam combining; beam quality; coherent techniques; high-power sources; high-radiance sources; laser arrays; laser beam combining; near-diffraction-limited output; phased array techniques; power scaling; radiance scaling; semiconductor diode array; wavelength techniques; Fiber lasers; Laser beams; Laser noise; Optical arrays; Optical transmitters; Phased arrays; Power lasers; Semiconductor diodes; Semiconductor laser arrays; Solid lasers; Diode lasers; fiber lasers; laser arrays; laser beam combining; phased arrays; wavelength-division multiplexing;
Journal_Title :
Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JSTQE.2005.850241
