U.S. patent application number 11/543567 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-10 for multi-stage method and system for coherent diffractive beam combining.
Invention is credited to Robert R. Rice, Joshua E. Rothenberg, Michael G. Wickham.
Application Number | 20080085128 11/543567 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39182263 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080085128 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rothenberg; Joshua E. ; et
al. |
April 10, 2008 |
MULTI-STAGE METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COHERENT DIFFRACTIVE BEAM
COMBINING
Abstract
A system or method coherently combines a large number of light
beams at a single wavelength in multiple stages to form a
high-power diffraction limited output beam. A two-stage system, or
method based thereon, includes a master oscillator transmitting a
light beam to a first phase modulation stage, which splits the beam
into N beams and locks beam phases using phase correction signals
from a first feedback loop. A second phase modulation stage splits
each N beam into M beams and locks the phases of M beams in each N
group using phase correction signals from a second feedback loop. A
two-dimensional fiber array directs M.times.N beams to a first
diffractive optical element combining the beams into N coherent
beams of M beams each, and phase correction signals for the second
stage are derived from a sample extracted from the N coherent
beams. A second diffractive optical element combines the N coherent
beams into the output beam, and phase correction signals for the
first stage are derived from a sample extracted from the output.
The diffractive optical elements may operate as both beam combiners
and beam samplers.
Inventors: |
Rothenberg; Joshua E.; (Los
Angeles, CA) ; Rice; Robert R.; (Simi Valley, CA)
; Wickham; Michael G.; (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SNELL & WILMER L.L.P. (Grumman)
600 ANTON BOULEVARD, SUITE 1400
COSTA MESA
CA
92626
US
|
Family ID: |
39182263 |
Appl. No.: |
11/543567 |
Filed: |
October 5, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
398/188 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 19/0014 20130101;
H01S 3/1307 20130101; G02B 27/145 20130101; G02B 19/0057 20130101;
G02B 27/108 20130101; H01S 3/005 20130101; G02B 27/0944 20130101;
G02B 27/1093 20130101; G02B 27/0087 20130101; G02B 27/144 20130101;
H01S 3/2383 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
398/188 |
International
Class: |
H04B 10/04 20060101
H04B010/04 |
Claims
1. A system for combining a plurality of light beams into a single
coherent output beam in multiple stages, comprising: a master
oscillator transmitting a light beam; a beam splitter splitting the
light beam into N light beams; a first phase modulation stage
comprising N phase modulators modulating the N light beams; a group
of N beam splitters further splitting each of the N light beams
into N groups of M light beams for a total of M.times.N light
beams; a second phase modulation stage comprising N groups of M
modulators modulating the M.times.N light beams; a first
diffractive optical element combining M.times.N light beams from
the second phase modulation stage into N coherent beams of M beams
each; a means for sampling the N coherent beams; a second feedback
loop deriving M.times.N phase correction signals from the sampling
of N coherent beams for locking phases of M light beams in each of
N groups at the second phase modulation stage; a second diffractive
optical element combining the N coherent beams into a single
coherent output beam; a means for sampling the single coherent
output beam; and a first feedback loop deriving N phase correction
signals from the sampling of the single coherent output beam for
locking phases of the N light beams at the first phase modulation
stage; wherein M and N are integers greater than 1.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one coherent beam has a
maximum intensity along a single diffraction order of a diffractive
optical element.
3. The system of claim 1 further comprising optical emitters
directing the M.times.N light beams from the second phase
modulation stage to the first diffractive optical element.
4. The system of claim 3 wherein the optical emitters direct the
light beams as a two-dimensional array having M rows and N
columns.
5. The system of claim 1 further comprising an amplification stage
for amplifying each of the M.times.N light beams to a desired power
level prior to combining.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein a beam splitter comprises the
means for sampling the N coherent beams.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein diffraction by the first
diffractive optical element provides the means for sampling the N
coherent beams.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein a beam splitter comprises the
means for sampling the single coherent output beam.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein diffraction by the second
diffractive optical element provides the means for sampling the
single coherent output beam.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein the second diffractive optical
element is oriented substantially orthogonally to the first
diffractive optical element.
11. The system of claim 1 wherein the second feedback loop
comprises N phase detectors, and the first feedback loop comprises
a single phase detector.
12. A system for combining a plurality of light beams into a single
coherent light beam in multiple stages, comprising: a master
oscillator transmitting a light beam; a first phase modulation
stage including a beam splitter splitting the light beam into N
light beams; and N phase modulators modulating the N light beams; a
second phase modulation stage including a group of N beam splitters
further splitting each of the N light beams into N groups of M
light beams for a total of M.times.N light beams; and N groups of M
modulators modulating the M.times.N light beams; optical emitters
transmitting only beams of like polarization from the second phase
modulation stage; a first diffractive optical element combining
M.times.N light beams of like polarization from the second phase
modulation stage into N coherent beams of M beams each; a means for
sampling the N coherent beams; a second feedback loop deriving
M.times.N phase correction signals from the sampling of N coherent
beams for locking phases of M light beams in each of N groups at
the second phase modulation stage; a second diffractive optical
element combining the N coherent beams into a single coherent
output beam; a means for sampling the single coherent output beam;
and a first feedback loop deriving N phase correction signals from
the sampling of the single coherent output beam for locking phases
of the N light beams at the first phase modulation stage; wherein M
and N are integers greater than 1.
13. A method for combining a plurality of light beams into a single
coherent light beam in multiple stages, comprising: transmitting a
light beam; splitting the light beam into N light beams at a first
stage; splitting each of the N light beams into M light beams at a
second stage; deriving first stage phase correction signals from
the N light beams; deriving second stage phase correction signals
from the M light beams in each N group; locking phases of the M
light beams in each N group according to the second stage phase
correction signals; locking phases of the N light beams according
to the first stage phase correction signals; combining the
M.times.N light beams by diffraction into N coherent beams of M
beams each; and combining the N coherent beams by diffraction into
a coherent output beam; wherein M and N are integers greater than
1.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising, prior to the first
combining step, forming the M.times.N light beams into a
two-dimensional array.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising directing the
M.times.N array to a diffractive optical element.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising, prior to the second
combining step, directing the N coherent beams to a second
diffractive optical element.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the first combining step further
comprises extracting a sample of the combined M.times.N light
beams.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second stage phase
correction signals are derived from the extracted sample.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the second combining step
further comprises extracting a sample of the combined N coherent
beams.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the first stage phase correction
signals are derived from the extracted sample.
Description
[0001] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 11/361,352 filed Feb. 24, 2006; U.S. patent application Ser.
No. ______, a.k.a. Snell & Wilmer Dkt. No. 54361-2500 entitled
"Method And System For Coherent Beam Combining Using An Integrated
Diffractive Beam Combiner And Sampler" filed concurrently herewith;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, a.k.a. Snell & Wilmer
Dkt. No. 54361-2600 entitled "Method and System For Diffractive
Beam Combining Using DOE Combiner With Passive Phase Control" filed
concurrently herewith; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______,
a.k.a. Snell & Wilmer Dkt. No. 54361-2700 entitled "Method And
System For Hybrid Coherent And Incoherent Diffractive Beam
Combining" filed concurrently herewith; all of which are fully
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to combining light beams using
diffractive beam combining. More specifically, the invention
relates to combining a plurality of laser beams in multiple stages,
where in each stage, a diffractive optical element operating as a
beam combiner diffracts a low power sample of combined beams for
use in active phasing.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] High power lasers have many possible applications. In a
military application, sufficient energy focused in a laser beam can
provide an effective defensive countermeasure against ballistic
projectiles. In a commercial application, a high power laser can be
used to weld metal components that are too thick to be welded by
conventional methods. To improve the effectiveness of the laser in
any of these applications, the power transmitted by the beam may be
enhanced by focusing the beam to its far-field diffraction limit,
i.e., into as small an area as theoretically possible. A laser beam
focused to this theoretical limit is said to be diffraction
limited. Generally speaking, advancement of the art of high power
lasers is impeded by physical limitations encountered when
attempting to achieve this limit.
[0006] Lasers by their nature are ideally diffraction limited, such
that the smallest possible area of focus is limited by the product
of the focal distance and the diffraction limited angle, which is
the wavelength of the light divided by the aperture width. Thus,
the larger the aperture, the tighter the focus. However, there are
practical limitations on the size of an aperture that can be
designed for any optical apparatus. Imperfections in the optics may
cause degradations in the laser wavefront that affect the focus,
and in high power applications, thermal variations contribute to
the degradation. This limits the designer's ability to focus the
beam, resulting in a focal spot somewhat greater than 1.0 times the
diffraction limit (1.0.times.DL). Practically speaking, the
designer's goal is to achieve a near-diffraction-limited laser
(i.e., one that approaches 1.0.times.DL) that operates at as high a
power level as possible.
[0007] At present, the most advanced near-diffraction-limited laser
beams cannot deliver enough power per unit area to serve
effectively in high-power applications. In one case, an optimized
beam can deliver a 3 kW beam having a diffraction limit of nearly
1.0. In another case, an optimized beam can deliver a 10 to 12 kW
beam that is about 1.5 times diffraction limited. An objective of
ongoing research in this field is to design a laser generator that
can deliver 100 kW or more in a near-diffraction-limited beam.
[0008] One method for increasing the power deliverable by lasers is
to combine the power of many coherently phased beams of a common
wavelength by arranging a plurality of optical fiber emitters in a
two-dimensional array. A beam splitter may be placed at the output
of the array to sample the constituent beams. Each of the sampled
beams is directed to a phase sensor, and the measured error signals
are provided to phase modulators in each beam to ensure all the
beams have equal phase. However, even in the most tightly packed
array, the `fill factor` of the composite beam (ratio of the
composite beam power to a beam that uniformly fills the entire
array aperture and has equal peak intensity) is only about 70%, due
to voids that occur between fibers and also to the Gaussian shape
of each beam. The end result is a reduction in brightness by the
fill factor ratio--the focused composite beam has a central peak
intensity equal to the fill factor ratio times the maximum
intensity possible with an ideal uniform beam, with the remaining
power appearing in widely separated side lobes. In other words the
composite beam has a shape dramatically different than that of the
constituent beams, and as a result the composite does not focus as
well as the constituents.
[0009] Another known method for combining beams is spectral
combining, in which many incoherent beams, i.e. beams of different
wavelengths, are superimposed. The beams are transmitted through a
prism or grating that aligns the beams along a common path,
creating, in essence, a singular beam of multiple colors. Thus the
composite beam has a shape that is substantially identical to that
of the constituent beams. While this technique therefore eliminates
the fill factor problem associated with the two-dimensional array,
other problems arise from using multiple wavelengths. For one, the
complexity of the system increases as each wavelength requires a
different oscillator. Furthermore, the propagation angle of each
wavelength must be precisely adjusted such that its incidence on
the grating is exact, otherwise the beams will misalign. More
importantly, each wavelength may behave differently as the beam
propagates through various media. Atmospheric absorption is a
function of wavelength, therefore a spectrally combined beam
directed through air is more susceptible to energy loss than a
single-wavelength selected for optimal transmission efficiency.
Spectral combining has been proposed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No.
6,697,192, U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,292, U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,679, and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,062.
[0010] Another proposed technique for increasing the power in a
laser beam is to (coherently) combine, by constructive
interference, a plurality of beams into a single coherent beam.
This technique, known as coherent diffractive beam combining, is
the subject of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/361,352 filed Feb. 24, 2006, which is incorporated by reference
herein as though set forth in full. In general, the co-pending
application teaches generating a plurality of input beams, all
having a common wavelength, using a master oscillator. Each beam is
individually amplified and transmitted through a fiber emitter, and
the emitter outputs are combined into a single output beam using a
diffractive optical element (DOE). The technique includes a means
for actively controlling the phases of the multiple beams using
feedback to optimize the efficiency of the beam combination. This
may be accomplished by coupling a phase modulator to each input
beam, and by coupling a phase detector to a sampling of the output
beam. The sampling is obtained by placing a transmissive beam
splitter in the output path that reflects a low power portion of
the output to the phase detector. Using electronics, correction
signals based on phase deviations detected at the output are fed
back to the modulators. An exemplary means for effecting active
phase control in this fashion is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,708,003, which is also fully incorporated herein by reference.
Another active phase detection and control method has been
demonstrated by T. M. Shay et al., Proceedings of the SPIE, Vol.
5550, pp. 313-319 (2004), which is also fully incorporated herein
by reference. An advantage of this approach is that, similar to
SBC, the combined output beam has a shape that is substantially
identical to the composite beams and therefore eliminates the fill
factor reduction in the intensity of the focused coherent output
beam. However, disadvantages occur when sampling the phases of the
high power combined output beams. A high power beam passing through
a transmissive beam splitter causes thermal distortion that affects
the phase measurement accuracy and focusability of the output beam.
Also in this method, a single detector is used to measure the
phases of all the constituent beams. For a very large number of
combined beams the accuracy of phase measurement becomes more
difficult with a single detector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a system and a related method
for multi-stage diffractive beam combining for coherently combining
a large number of light beams at a single wavelength into single
high-power diffraction limited beam. In a preferred embodiment, a
two-stage system includes a master oscillator for transmitting a
light beam at a single wavelength. At a first phase modulation
stage, the light beam is split into N beams (where N is any
integer) and the phases of the N beams are synchronized by phase
modulators using phase correction signals provided to the phase
modulators through a first feedback loop. A second phase modulation
stage splits each of the N beams into M beams (where M is any
integer). Amplifiers and phase modulators in the second phase
modulation stage amplify the beams and synchronize the phases of
each N group of M beams using phase correction signals provided to
the second stage phase modulators from a second feedback loop. From
the second phase modulation stage, optical fiber emitters arrange
the beams into a two-dimensional M.times.N array, and each beam is
directed toward a first diffractive optical element (DOE) at a
slightly different propagation angle. An optic (e.g. lens or curved
mirror) may be used to collimate and overlap the beams for precise
incidence on the first DOE. The first DOE operates as a beam
combiner to combine the beams into N coherent beams each comprising
M beams. In the second feedback loop, a sample beam is extracted
from the N coherent beams and directed to N separate phase
detection means, each of which detects phase variations in each of
the M constituent beams. Phase correction signals are derived from
the detected phases and fed back to the second stage phase
modulators. In one embodiment, the sample beam is diffracted from a
periodic sampling grating superimposed on the surface of the first
DOE.
[0012] The N coherent beams output from the first DOE are
preferably aligned along a single dimension and directed onto a
second DOE. Relay optics may be used, if necessary, to ensure
precision collimation and overlap of the beams incident on the
second DOE. The second DOE also operates as a beam combiner,
combining the N coherent beams into a single, diffraction limited
output beam. In the first feedback loop, the output beam is
sampled, and through phase detection means, phase correction
signals for the first stage are derived from the sample and fed
back to the first stage phase modulators. In one embodiment, the
output sample is extracted using a periodic sampling grating
superimposed on the surface of the second DOE.
[0013] One main advantage of multi-stage coherent diffractive beam
combining according to the present invention is that the maximum
number of beam phases being measured by any phase detector is
reduced to about the square root of the total number of beams being
combined.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the
invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the
art upon examination of the following figures and detailed
description. It is intended that all such additional systems,
methods, features and advantages be included within this
description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected
by the accompanying claims. The invention will be better understood
upon consideration of the specification and the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts
throughout the figures, and wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a multi-stage system according
to the invention having two stages for coherent beam combining.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a plot of one example of a periodic phase pattern
in a five-beam combiner DOE for splitting a single beam into five
diffraction orders.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a plot showing normalized intensities of the five
diffraction orders produced by the DOE of FIG. 2, when used as a
beam splitter.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a logarithmic plot of normalized intensities vs.
diffraction orders resulting when the DOE of FIG. 2 is used to
combine five ideally phased beams.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a plot of another example of a periodic phase
pattern in a five-beam combiner DOE having an added sinusoidal
sampling grating.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a logarithmic plot of normalized intensities of
diffraction orders resulting when the DOE of FIG. 5 is used to
combine five ideally phased beams.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of another embodiment of a
multi-stage system according to the invention that employs a DOE
combiner and sampler at each stage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Single Stage Coherent Diffractive Beam Combining
[0023] A coherent diffractive beam combining method has been
proposed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/361,352
by inventors named in the present application. In general, the
diffractive beam combining method employs a DOE to enable the
coherent combination of the output of a plurality of fiber
amplifiers transmitting laser beams derived from a common
oscillator. The beam combination method requires active phasing of
the outputs from the fiber amplifiers to lock the phases of the
output beams in order to optimize intensity of the composite beam
by means of constructive interference. Active phasing is achieved
by placing a beam splitter in the path of the composite beam that
is diffracted by the DOE. The beam splitter produces a low power
sample of the composite beam, and the sample is focused onto a
phase detector. In the phase detector, the output phase of each
constituent beam is detected by decoding signals that are encoded
on each constituent beam. Using electronics, the phases are
measured by comparison to reference signals from the master
oscillator, and correction signals derived from this comparison are
fed back to phase modulators in a low power section of each fiber
amplifier to achieve optimal phasing.
[0024] Multi-Stage Coherent Diffractive Beam Combining
[0025] Multi-stage coherent diffractive beam combining, as used
herein, refers to a beam combining system or method that combines
beams in plural stages, wherein a diffractive optical element
operating as a beam combiner is employed at each stage. The phase
detection method discussed in the context of single stage coherent
beam combining may be impractical as the number of beams being
detected becomes very large. To reduce this burden, a multi-stage
coherent diffractive beam combining system and method is now
disclosed. The multi-stage concept allows scaling to a much larger
number of total combined beams without requiring detection of all
constituent phases in a single combined beam.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a multi-stage beam combining
system according to the invention. In this embodiment, the
multi-stage system consists of two beam combining stages, each
stage having a feedback loop. A master oscillator 11 provides a
master signal oscillating a wavelength .lamda. to a first phase
modulation stage, which includes phase modulators 12 and a beam
splitter 13. At the first modulation stage, the master signal is
split into N optical signals by beam splitter 13. Each of the N
signals is passed through a corresponding one of N first stage
feedback dependent phase modulators 12 for phase correction. Each
of the N modulated first stage output beams is then input to a
second modulation stage, which includes phase modulators 14 and N
beam splitters 73.
[0027] At the second modulation stage, the N modulated first stage
beams are each split M ways by a beam splitter 73. For simplicity,
FIG. 1 shows N=3 and M=5; however, N and M may each assume any
integer value. Each of the M.times.N second stage beams is then
phase-corrected by means of a feedback dependent second stage phase
modulator 14. Also at the second modulation stage, each second
stage beam is amplified by one of M.times.N optical amplifiers 15
to a desired power level. Each group of M beams is then collected
into a linear array of fiber emitters 17. N of these linear arrays
are brought together to form a two-dimensional fiber array 19.
[0028] In one embodiment, fiber array 19 consists of M rows and N
columns. Each of the N columns is a linear array of M fiber
emitters 17 and consists of M amplified beams that originate from
just one of the N first stage output beams. Therefore a phase
change applied to a first stage phase modulator 12 is common and
will not alter the relative phases of the M beams within the
corresponding array column. In another embodiment, fiber emitters
17 are selected to transmit beams of like polarization.
[0029] Referring again to FIG. 1, a single reflective or
transmissive collimating optic 23 may be used to collimate all the
diverging beams 21 from fiber array 19. The output of collimating
optic 23 results in an array 24 of collimated beams. Thus, each
beam present in array 24 has a propagation angle that may be
determined by the location of a corresponding individual fiber
emitter within two-dimensional array 19. An M:1 DOE combiner 75 is
located in the back focal plane of collimating optic 23, to ensure
optimal overlap of the beams in collimated beam array 24 that are
incident on DOE combiner 75.
[0030] DOE combiner 75 is oriented to combine the incident beams
along the columns of array 24. When the beams are properly phased,
DOE combiner 75 can efficiently combine each group of M beams per
array column, i.e. N groups of M beams are coherently combined
without reduction in fill factor. The result is a row of N
coherently combined output beams 77, each having a different
propagation angle determined by the position of the N columns
within the two-dimensional array 19. In a preferred embodiment, the
intensity of each coherent combination of M beams is maximized
along a single diffraction order. In one embodiment, the single
diffraction order is the 0.sup.th diffraction order. In another
embodiment, at least one coherent combination of M beams has a
maximum intensity along the 0.sup.th diffraction order. Some amount
of spurious diffracted output beams 29 of minimal intensity also
emerge from DOE 75.
[0031] Due to differences in the lengths of fibers in array 19, and
to variations caused by vibrations and temperature fluctuations,
slight variations in phase may occur in each of the M.times.N beams
21 emerging from the array. A feedback control loop for the second
modulation stage is provided to correct these variations and lock
the phases of each group of M beams to ensure maximum efficiency in
coherent combinations thereof. In this second stage feedback loop,
a beam sampler 79 directs a low power sample 31 from output beams
77 to N independent phase detectors 35. Additional focusing or
collimating optics 81 (e.g. a lens or curved mirror) may be placed
into the path of sample beams 31, as needed, to focus sample beams
31 onto phase detectors 35.
[0032] Phase detection stage 35 provides a means for detecting the
phase of each of the M beams that form one of the N groups of
output beam 77. Thus, each detector 35 need only measure M
constituent phases in the respective combined sample beams 31,
using a phase detection method known in the art.
[0033] In one embodiment, encoded signals may be applied to each of
the M.times.N optical signals at the second phase modulation stage.
Then, at phase detection stage 35, synchronous detection of the
coded signals on each beam can be used to measure the output phase
of each constituent beam. Ideally, N phase controllers 37 apply
correction signals to lock the M measured phases at each wavelength
to a single uniform value. However, systematic variations caused by
the sampling optics or decoding electronics may require adjustment
of each of the M phases to differing optimized values. These values
can be determined by a calibration procedure that optimizes the
combination efficiency of each group of M beams into a desired
diffraction order. The phase controllers 37 compare the measured
phases to these optimized reference values and derive correction
signals based on the comparisons at each of N wavelengths. The
M.times.N correction signals are fed back to M.times.N phase
modulators 73, which lock the phases of each group of M optical
signals according to the correction signals to optimize the
combination efficiency for each of the N groups of M beams. Various
known techniques for synchronous phase detection of optical signals
(e.g. encoding using distinct dither frequencies, CDMA, TDMA, etc.)
may be employed in the feedback loop without departing from the
scope of the present invention. Examples of such techniques are
discussed in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.
11/361,352, U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,356, U.S. Pat. No. 6,708,003, and
T. M. Shay et al., Proceedings of the SPIE, Vol. 5550, pp 313-319
(2004). These techniques should be selected to allow the combined
beams to be phased for maximum combination efficiency.
[0034] To ensure adequate beam overlap, the row array of N
collimated output beams 77 is image relayed by means of image relay
optics 83 onto a second stage N:1 DOE combiner 85. The second stage
DOE 85 is preferably oriented substantially orthogonally to the
first stage DOE 75, so that beams 77 are combined along rows rather
than columns. The output of DOE 85 is a single, coherent beam 87,
and is the final output of the multi-stage system.
[0035] A feedback control loop for the first modulation stage is
provided to correct phase variations and lock the phases of each of
N constituent beams of coherent output beam 87 to ensure maximum
efficiency of combination. In this first stage feedback loop,
output beam 87 is sampled using a sampling optic or beam splitter
89, and the resulting sample beam 91 is incident on a single phase
detector 95. In one embodiment, sample 91 may be focused by means
of a collimating optic 93. Phase detector 95 measures the phases of
the N constituent first stage beams. A synchronous detection means
in phase detector 95 detects a dither or other orthogonal coding
provided by the N first stage modulators in order to distinguish
the constituent beams. The synchronous detection means may be
similar to that used in the second stage feedback loop. In the
first stage feedback loop, the measured phases are used to provide
feedback to the first stage modulators. A single, synchronous
N-beam phase controller 97 compares the measured phases to
reference values, and derives correction signals based on the
comparisons. These reference values can be determined by a
calibration procedure that optimizes the combination efficiency of
the N beams into a desired diffraction order. The correction
signals are fed back to phase modulators 13, which lock the phases
of each N signal issuing from master oscillator 11 according to the
correction signals, thereby optimizing the combination efficiency
of coherent output beam 87.
[0036] It should be appreciated that coherent output beam 87 is
achieved using N independent phase detectors 35 in the second stage
feedback, plus a single independent phase detector 95 in the first
stage feedback. Thus, M.times.N beams are combined using N+1 total
independent phase detectors. In addition, the maximum number of
beam phases that must be measured from a sampled combined beam by
any single phase detector is the greater of the two values M or N.
Compared to single-DOE systems, the number of beam phases measured
by a detector is advantageously reduced to about the square root of
the total number of beams being combined.
[0037] Since the phase variations imposed by the first stage
modulators are common to each group of M beams they should not
affect the operation of the first stage combiner. However, it is
possible that modulation from the first stage feedback loop may
become a source of phase noise for the second stage combiner. This
potential issue can be mitigated by designing the first stage
feedback loop to have much larger bandwidth than the second
stage.
[0038] In an alternative embodiment, separate first stage
modulators may be avoided by adding a common modulation signal
electronically to all M inputs of a group of second stage
modulators. The concern with this approach is the potential for
introducing differential phase modulation among the M beams in a
group by a first stage phase change. Precise RF phasing and
equivalence of the common phase change among the M modulators is
needed, otherwise undesirable crosstalk between the feedback loops
may result.
[0039] To further illustrate a DOE design appropriate for use in
the foregoing embodiments, consider a simple DOE that splits a
single beam into five diffracted beams' in a 1D array. This
simplified example is presented for illustration purposes only.
DOEs can be designed to efficiently combine or split an arbitrarily
large number of beams, in 1D or 2D arrays. The subject DOE has a
pattern of parallel precisely-shaped main grooves etched on its
surface, which upon reflection or transmission produces the 1D
periodic phase pattern 43 plotted in FIG. 2 in waves (one wave
equals 2.pi. radians). For a reflective or transmissive DOE one
wave of phase corresponds to an etch depth of .lamda./2 or
.lamda./(n-1), respectively, where n is the index of refraction of
the DOE substrate. Thus, the phase pattern 43 corresponds to an
appropriately scaled etch depth pattern on the DOE surface. If a
single beam is incident on this DOE, approximately 98% of the power
is split among five diffracted orders in a linear array. The
remaining approximate 2% of power is distributed among spurious
output beams diffracted at higher orders. A normalized plot of the
distribution of the beam intensity among all diffracted orders is
shown in FIG. 3. Note that the angles of the diffracted orders of
the DOE are given by the usual grating equation. For an input beam
at normal incidence the diffracted angle of the mth order is
sin .theta..sub.m=m.lamda./P (1)
where .lamda. is the wavelength and P is the period of the phase
pattern on the DOE.
[0040] Coherent beam combining is achieved by using the DOE "in
reverse". That is, if (in the foregoing example) the five input
beams are properly phased and pointed and have equal power, the DOE
is designed to provide optimal efficiency of combination at about
96%. This efficiency is shown by the normalized intensities 45 of
the diffracted orders plotted in FIG. 4. In this example, the
desired output beam is the 0.sup.th diffracted order, which has an
intensity about two orders of magnitude higher than the intensity
of any other diffraction order, as shown. In another embodiment,
when the relative powers of the input beams are adjusted to match
the distribution of FIG. 3, the DOE provides an optimal combination
efficiency equal to the splitting efficiency of about 98%.
[0041] FIGS. 5-6 illustrate the sampling capability of a DOE. In
one embodiment, the design of the five-beam combiner DOE of FIGS.
2-3 may be modified by adding a weak, short-period sinusoidal
sampling grating. The peak- to-peak phase value of this particular
sampling grating is selected as 1/50.sup.th of a wave. A plot of
the phase of the modified DOE with sampling grating is shown in
FIG. 5. Here, the resulting phase pattern 47 appears as the
short-period sinusoid superimposed on periodic phase pattern 43.
When properly aligned to the modified DOE, ideally phased input
beams are diffracted to produce the output shown in FIG. 6. Note
that in FIG. 6, the central group of diffraction order intensities
45 centered about the 0.sup.th order is the same distribution shown
in the plot of FIG. 4. The left-hand diffraction order intensities
49, and right-hand diffraction order intensities 51, are centered
about the -50.sup.th and +50.sup.th orders, respectively. Each of
these intensity groups 49 and 51 provides a low-power
representation of the distribution of intensities 45.
[0042] The DOE embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5-6 has sampling
grating grooves situated in parallel to the main grooves and
therefore the sampled beam is in the same plane as the fiber array
and spurious diffracted output beams. The period of the sampling
grating in this example is taken to be 1/50.sup.th of the DOE
combiner period, and thus the beam sample is diffracted at an angle
corresponding to the +50.sup.th diffracted order of the combiner.
As shown in FIG. 6, the sampled beam diffraction order intensities
49 and 51 are well separated from the spurious diffracted orders of
the DOE combiner function. Skilled artisans should recognize that
many other DOE embodiments are possible, wherein a sampling grating
comprising a set of grooves is applied in any direction relative to
the DOE combiner function such that the sampled beam departs the
DOE in any convenient direction.
[0043] In the foregoing example, the sampling grating phase depth
is selected to be 1/50.sup.th of a wave. As a result the sample
intensity in either of the two .+-.50.sup.th sampled orders is
approximately 1.times.10.sup.-3 of the main (0 h order) output
beam. As shown in FIG. 6, each of the primary sampled .+-.50.sup.th
orders provides an identical low power copy of the fully combined
beam. In general, a weak sinusoidal phase grating can be adjusted
according to a desired sample fraction of approximately 2.5
.phi..sup.2, where .phi..sup.2 is the peak-to-peak phase amplitude
of the grating measured in waves. The sinusoidal shape of a
sampling grating leads to equal sampled beam intensities in both
.+-.50.sup.th orders. In other embodiments of a DOE sampling
grating, a "blazed" (i.e. more triangular) shape can be used to
preferentially diffract light primarily into one of these orders,
as is well understood in the grating art. However, for very high
power applications, it may be necessary for the surface of the DOE
to be etched more smoothly without any precipitous jumps. This
advantageously allows the etched DOE to be over-coated with a very
high reflectivity, low-absorption multilayer stack that conforms
well and preserves the precise surface shape of the DOE.
[0044] It is noted that the sampling grating and the DOE combiner
itself are dispersive, i.e. they have diffracted order angles that
are wavelength dependent. At normal incidence, the dispersion for a
grating with period P is given by
d.theta./d.lamda.=m/P cos.theta.=tan .theta./.lamda. (2)
[0045] Thus, a smaller period or a larger diffraction angle leads
to larger dispersion. Depending on the bandwidth requirements for
the system this may lead to a limitation on diffraction angle. In
some embodiments, it may be necessary to compensate for a sample
beam having such a large dispersion, for example, by placing a
compensation grating in the path of the diffracted sample.
[0046] A second embodiment of a multi-stage coherent diffractive
beam combining system is shown in FIG. 7. The optics in this
embodiment are simplified by eliminating beam samplers 79 and 89
from the optical circuit, and employing DOEs fabricated with
integral sampling gratings. Thus, the means for extracting a sample
beam 31 or 91 is achieved by placing a weak periodic sampling
grating superimposed on the surface of DOE combiners 98 and 99. The
sampling grating enables each DOE 98 and 99 to diffract a low power
sample beam for the second and first stage feedback loops,
respectively. Each DOE 98 and 99 therefore performs the following
functions: combining plural input beams into one or more coherent
output beams, and diffracting a low power sample of the coherent
output. Operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is otherwise
similar to the operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0047] Throughout the disclosure, the various DOEs are shown in the
figures as reflective optical elements. In one preferred
embodiment, a DOE comprises a highly reflective dielectric stack on
its surface having greater than 99% reflectivity to minimize power
absorption. Alternatively, any DOE described herein may be
fabricated as a transmissive element. However, reflective elements
are preferred primarily because the non-reflecting side of a
reflective element may be configured for cooling without
introducing material into the optical path. In the example of FIG.
7, DOE 98 is shown with an optional cooling means 42 abutting the
non-reflecting side. Cooling means 42 may be any type of heat sink
suitable for removing heat from DOE 98 to ensure optical stability.
For example, cooling means 42 may be a finned metal heat sink
contacted to a DOE by an adhesive with high thermal conductivity, a
surface exposed to forced air, a conduit for the flow of coolant
such as water, or a combination of any of the foregoing.
[0048] An advantage of any of the embodiments according to the
present invention is that each phase detector is only required to
extract phases from at most M or N beams, yet the total number of
combined beams in coherent output beam 87 is M.times.N. This
approach thereby facilitates scaling to a much larger number of
beams at a single wavelength than may be possible with the prior
art.
[0049] The foregoing disclosure presents various embodiments of
multi-stage coherent diffractive beam combining methods and systems
having two stages. It will be apparent to skilled artisans that
other embodiments are possible wherein more than two stages may be
cascaded, wherein each stage combines a series of coherent beams
diffracted from a previous stage. For example, as the number of
beams to be combined becomes very large, it may be more practical
to employ a DOE combiner at an initial or intermediate stage for
combining partial rows or partial columns of beams propagating from
an array. Additional DOE combiners in one or more downstream stages
may then complete the row or column combination.
[0050] The invention has been presented in an illustrative style.
The terminology employed throughout should be read in an exemplary
rather than a limiting manner. While various exemplary embodiments
have been shown and described, it should be apparent to one of
ordinary skill in the art that there are many more embodiments that
are within the scope of the subject invention. Accordingly, the
invention is not to be restricted, except in light of the appended
claims and their equivalents.
* * * * *