Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

James M Zamel

Donald Glen Heflinger

Daniel W Lam

Arthur B O'Connor

Michael G Wickham

Hiroshi Komine

Stephen John Brosnan

John A Szot

Daniel F Hall

Jason K Miura

Randall St Pierre

An optical communications terminal including a polarizing element responsive to a first linearly polarized optical beam and rotating the first linearly polarized optical beam in a first linear direction, a beam separator responsive to and passing the first linearly polarized optical beam, and a circular polarizing element responsive to the first linearly polarized optical beam from the beam separator and circularly polarizing the first linearly polarized optical beam for transmission, where the circular polarizing element is switchable between two orthogonal switching states. The terminal receives a circularly polarized optical beam from another terminal and linearly polarizes the circularly polarized optical beam from the other terminal in a second linear direction that is orthogonal to the first linear direction and the beam separator directs the circularly polarized optical beam from the other terminal in a direction away from the polarizing element.

Optical communications terminal

An optical communications system including two communications terminals in communication with each other using optical signals having the same wavelength. Both terminals include a half-wave plate polarizer for rotating linearly polarized optical signals and a quarter-wave plate polarizer for circularly polarizing the optical signals. The quarter-wave plate polarizers are oriented 90&#xb0; relative to each other so that circularly polarized optical signals sent from one terminal to the other terminal are linearly polarized 90&#xb0; relative to a transmission polarization orientation to be separable from the transmitted optical signals by a beam splitter.

Optical free space communication apparatus using polarization

An exemplary support structure for a planar faceplate includes ribs extending substantially perpendicular to a bottom surface of the planar faceplate. Spaced apart projections extend from the ribs towards the bottom surface of the planar faceplate and have distal ends that engage and are secured to the bottom surface. Each distal end defines an area with a numerical value that is less than the thickness of the planar faceplate measured in the same measurement units as the area to limit any stress formations induced in the planar faceplate due to thermal changes from reaching a top surface of the planar faceplate. Alternatively, the projections may be spaced apart mesas extending outward from a rigid material.

Mirror mounting assembly

An optical benchis cast from a single piece of material and provided with a number of optical component supportswhich extend upwardly from a base. The optical component supportsare integral with the base, increasing their rigidity. The benchmay be cast with additional material in strategic areas to allow for future optimization of the bench&#x2014;for example, the mounting of specific optical components throughout the bench. Further, the benchmay be provided with regions, andof varying rigidity by placing support strutscloser together in areas where greater rigidity is required. Aperturesmay be provided in the benchto enable the routing of conduits through the bench

Cast laser optical bench

A laser gain device () holds a laser slab () which is pumped by pump energy from at least one diode array assembly (). An angle at which pump energy from the diode array assembly () impinges the laser slab () is adjustable via angle adjustment means. The laser slab () is mounted between edge bars () which have laser slab spacers () extending therethrough, allowing laser slabs () of different widths to be mounted within the laser gain device (). One or more pump energy shields () are used to control the amount of pump energy entering the laser slab (), and cooling liquid conduits () are provided throughout components of the laser gain device (), serving to conductively cool a heat shield ().

Diode-pumped solid-state laser gain module

An array of cylindrical end-caps with separate or integral lenses is stacked with its members in close contact, forming inter-cylinder gaps between every subset of three adjacent cylindrical lenses. Conductive fibers are disposed in the inter-cylinder gaps. Heat that would otherwise accumulate in the array is removed through the conductive fibers and transmitted to an external heat sink.

Cooled high power laser lens array

A compact fiber packaging system for fiber lasers is provided that comprises a series of spools nested inside one another for efficient volume utilization. The spools comprise an inner spool nested inside at least one outer spool to form a module. Generally, the fiber lasers are wrapped around the inner spool, and then around successive outer spools as required to form the module. Furthermore, the modules may be stacked to form a fiber assembly. The compact fiber packaging system further comprises devices and methods for minimizing thermal gradients between fibers and for removing Waste heat from the system. Additionally, the available volume is further utilized by disposing equipment and materials for operation of the fibers inside a hollow center defined by the inner spool, between the nested spools, and adjacent the nested spools.

Growing community of inventors

Rolling Hills Estates, CA, United States of America

James M Zamel