US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Anthony R Valenzuela

Leonid Alexseevich Beresnev

Chatt C Williamson

Kristan Peter Gurton

David A Ligon

A method, apparatus and system for coherent beam combining (CBC) in high energy fiber laser (HEL) systems include generating a reference interference pattern of a signal source including at least two single-mode optical signals, capturing and evaluating the reference interference pattern, maximizing an intensity of the selected area of the captured, reference interference pattern, increasing a linewidth of the optical signals generating the reference interference pattern until the reference interference pattern is degraded, and adjusting a delay time of one of the at least two single-mode optical signals until the reference interference pattern is recovered, by adjusting a value of a delay of a delayed RF signal with a broaden linewidth to a respective EO linewidth broadening modulator in at least one channel of the at least two single-mode optical signals while evaluating the interference pattern on a display device.

Systems, apparatuses and methods for coherent beam combining of fiber laser beams with broadened linewidth

A technique for delivery of a divergent laser beam emitted with a free-space laser fiber facet, the beam having an optical power, into an optical waveguide. An optical axis of the laser beam is aligned approximately along a propagation Z direction into the optical waveguide. The fiber facet is located in a first plane perpendicular to the Z direction. The waveguide includes an input, direction, and X-Y position of the input in a second plane. The waveguide includes fluctuations in a X-Y-Z position of the input and fluctuations in direction. The laser beam is transformed into a collimated beam by re-directing a propagation of the laser beam, shifting the laser beam parallel to the Z direction, and focusing the laser beam into the input. The speed of transformation of the laser beam is greater than an instant speed of the fluctuations. A maximum optical power is delivered into the waveguide.

Method and apparatus for delivering the fiber laser radiation into dynamical waveguide

An optics system includes at least one emitting fiber tip that transmits a divergent beam. The divergent beam includes a global maximum intensify of radiation centered with an output optical axis. The divergent beam includes central beams for collimating and periphery beams for disposing. The periphery beams include parasitic radiation of the divergent beam. The optics system includes at least one collimating lens having an output size, output shape, and output optical axis centered thereto and configured to redirect the central beams to a target and redirect the periphery beams into free-space; and at least one redirecting element positioned in between the at least one emitting fiber tip and the at least one collimating lens. The redirecting element includes a first area having an interior size and interior shape to transmit the central beams, and at least one second area outside of the first area to transmit the periphery beams.

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Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Anthony R Valenzuela