Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

Nuvonyx, Inc.

The Boeing Company

Mark S Zediker

Robert R Rice

John M Haake

Jack Herbert Hollister

James A Priest

Jeffrey R Heidel

Brian O Faircloth

Eric E Bott

Robert A Rice

Neil F Ruggieri

Bartley C Johnson

Thomas M Pallett

Alan J Bacon

Allen Priest

Chester L Balestra

Eric H Bott

Wil S Otaguro

William Harting

Chester Lee Balastra

Keith Throgmorton

A direct diode laser system includes N laser head assemblies (LHAs) generating N output beams, N optical fibers receiving respective N output beams and generating N received output beams, and a torch head recollimating and focusing the N received output beams onto a single spot. Preferably, each of the laser head assemblies of the direct diode laser system includes M modules generating M laser beams, wherein each of the M laser beams has a corresponding single wavelength of light. M-dichroic filters, wherein each of the M-dichroic filter transmits a corresponding one of the M laser beams and reflects all other wavelengths, and a fiber coupling device collecting the M laser beams to produce a respective one of the N output beams. In an exemplary case, the M-dichroic filters function as band pass filters. A method of generating a high fluence, high power laser beam is also described.

High efficiency, high power direct diode laser systems and methods therefor

A semiconductor laser device includes a tailored index single mode power amplifier. A high-power laser system can be produced by connecting several of the tailored index single mode power amplifiers in parallel. In an exemplary case, a phase shifting device can be optically coupled to each of the tailored index single mode power amplifiers; the phase shifting devices can be controlled to ensure that the laser beams output by the tailored index single mode power amplifiers are both phase aligned and wavefront matched.

Tailored index single mode optical amplifiers and devices and systems including same

A fiber optic projection device is provided that includes red, green and blue fiber optic sources, each of which includes at least one fiber amplifier for emitting an amplified signal of a predetermined wavelength. To provide signals that are scalable to high power levels, each fiber optic source can include a master oscillator, a plurality of fiber amplifiers for amplifying the input signals provided by the master oscillator and a combiner for combining the amplified signals emitted by each of the fiber amplifiers. While the fiber amplifier of each fiber optic source can be a dual core fiber that is appropriately doped, the red fiber optic source can include fiber amplifiers that rely upon Raman gain to provide the desired amplification. The red fiber optic source therefore not only includes a master oscillator, but also includes a red subharmonic oscillator for generating signals having a Raman seed wavelength for amplification by the fiber amplifiers. Each fiber optic source also includes a frequency altering device, such as a frequency doubler, for altering the frequency of the amplified signals to produce a signal having the respective color. The fiber optic projection device also includes at least one modulator for individually modulating the intensity of the signals having the respective colors. For example, the master oscillator can be modulated to control the duty cycle of the emitted signals. Further, the fiber optic projection device can include a projector for mixing the modulated signals having the different colors to create a full color image.

Fiber optic projection device

The modularized fiber optic laser system includes at least one master oscillator for producing a master laser signal and a plurality of optical amplification modules that independently amplify portions of the master laser signal. Each optical amplification module includes a plurality of optical fiber amplifiers and at least one pump source associated with each optical fiber amplifier for pumping the respective optical fiber amplifier. The optical amplification module also includes a power source for providing power to the pump sources. Each optical amplification module preferably consumes no more than a first predetermined amount of power during operation. As such, the power source is adapted to provide at least a first predetermined amount of power without recharging and without power generation. Each optical amplification module is also designed to produce no more than a first predetermined amount of heat during operation. The optical amplification module is therefore adapted to store at least the first predetermined amount of heat such that the optical amplification module can be operated without creating a thermal signature.

Modularized fiber optic laser system and associated optical amplification modules

A fiber optic receiving antenna is provided that permits the reception of an incident electric field without re-radiating any portion of the incident power. The fiber optic receiving antenna includes a master oscillator for generating a reference signal and a fiber optic interferometer having first and second arms formed of respective optical fibers for receiving the reference signal. The respective electrooptic activity of the optical fibers that form the first and second arms differ such that the signals propagating along the first and second optical fibers will be modulated differently in response to an incident electric field. The fiber optic interferometer also includes a coupler for combining the signals that have propagated along the first and second arms and been differently modulated by the incident electric field. The fiber optic receiving antenna can also include a detector for receiving the combined signals and for generating a signal that is at least partially dependent upon the incident electric field. As such, a measure of the incident electric field can be determined by the fiber optic receiving antenna. However, the fiber optic receiving antenna does not generate any current and, therefore, does not re-radiate any portion of the incident power.

Fiber optic receiving antenna

A laser diode system permitting indirect measurement of optical power includes a laser diode which emits usable light from a front facet and spontaneously emits stray light substantially proportional to the usable light from another facet; and a light pipe disposed proximate to the laser diode which collects and waveguides only the stray light to thereby generate a stray light beam providing an indication of optical power.

Laser diode arrays and systems including structures for permitting optical power measurement therefrom

An incoherent fiber optic laser system is provided which provides a high quality output beam which is readily scalable and which can be focused to a target location located relatively near or relatively far without requiring sophisticated optical elements. The incoherent fiber optic laser system includes a plurality of single mode laser sources, such as a plurality of fiber optic amplifiers, for providing single mode laser signals. The laser sources, such as the fiber optic amplifiers, operate incoherently with respect to one another such that the resulting laser signals are also incoherent. The incoherent fiber optic laser system also generally includes a plurality of single mode optical fibers for routing the incoherent laser signals as desired. In addition, the incoherent fiber optic laser system can include a plurality of lenses for collimating the incoherent laser signals provided by respective ones of the single mode optical fibers. In one advantageous embodiment, the incoherent fiber optic laser system also includes means for combining and focusing the collimated, incoherent laser signals to a target location at a predetermined distance. For example, the focusing means can focus the incoherent laser signals to a target location that is relatively near, such as within several inches, or to a target location that is relatively far, such as five or ten kilometers. Since the laser signals are incoherent, however, the fiber optic system need not include sophisticated optical elements, but can still produce a high quality output beam that is scalable to the wide range of power levels suitable for various applications.

Incoherent fiber optic laser system

System and method for photodynamic therapy using a phased array Raman laser amplifier including a beam generator for generating a fundamental laser beam and a Raman seed frequency laser beam, and a fiber optic laser amplifier array for forming a diffraction limited output laser beam at the Raman seed frequency by amplifying the fundamental laser beam to a power level corresponding to the Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) threshold to thereby pump the SRS process and provide Raman gain to the Raman seed frequency laser beam.

Photodynamic therapy system and method using a phased array raman laser amplifier

A dual frequency laser amplifier includes a beam generator for generating first and second source laser beams, and a co-doped optical fiber including first and second dopant ions having first and second gain bandwidths corresponding to the respective wavelengths of the first and second source laser beams for selectively forming first and second diffraction limited output laser beams responsive to the relative radiated power between the first and second source laser beams. A dual frequency laser oscillator and a method for generating the first and second output laser beams at any predetermined radiated power distribution are also described.

Dual frequency laser amplifier array and operating method therefor

A polarization controlled laser system receiving a pump laser beam includes a long laser cavity for precluding mode hopping. Preferably, the long laser cavity is defined by first and second dichroic reflectors, a rare earth doped optical fiber disposed between the first and second dichroic reflectors for amplifying the pump laser beam to thereby produce an amplified laser beam, a polarization controller for controlling polarization of the amplified laser beam, and a polarization selector for selecting the polarization of the amplified laser beam. The polarization selector can include a polarizing optical fiber while the polarization controller advantageously may include a polarization maintaining optical fiber. Alternatively, the rare-earth doped optical fiber, the polarization controller, and the polarization selector are all formed from a single polarizing rare-earth doped optical fiber. The polarization controlled laser system may be converted to a frequency doubled polarization controlled laser system by adding a doubling crystal to the long laser cavity. Methods for generating polarization controlled laser beams using a long laser cavity formed from a rare-earth doped optical fiber are also described.

Long cavity laser system including frequency doubling long cavity fiber

A battlefield personnel threat detection system for identifying and analyzing vibrations corresponding to an immutable characteristic of a target of interest includes a transmitter for producing a transmit laser beam by amplification of a primary coherent laser signal, a coherent receiver responsive to backscattered light produced by interaction of the transmit laser beam with the target of interest and generating data corresponding to the immutable characteristic of the target of interest, and a control and display module for analyzing the data to thereby detect the presence of the target of interest and for controlling operation of the transmitter and the receiver. The target of interest can be an enemy soldier. In the battlefield personnel threat detection system, the control and display module permits the transmitter and the receiver to operate in an agile search mode of operation in which spectra indicative of the enemy soldier are produced and a signature classification mode of operation in which the spectra are analyzed for the immutable characteristic of the enemy soldier, by which the enemy soldier can be located. A method for operating a battlefield personnel threat detection system including a micro-doppler ladar system and a signal processor is also described.

Battlefield personnel threat detection system and operating method

A micro-doppler ladar system for identifying and analyzing a target of interest includes a transmitter and coherent receiver pair, each of which includes a fiber optic power amplifier, and a controller. Preferably, the transmitter includes a master oscillator for generating a primary laser beam, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for generating a VCO signal having a predetermined, repetitive frequency pattern, a frequency shifting circuit for varying the frequency of the primary laser beam responsive to the VCO signal to thereby produce a frequency-varying primary laser signal, and the optical fiber amplifier, which amplifies the frequency-varying primary laser signal to thereby produce a transmit laser beam. In addition, the coherent receiver, which responds to backscattered light produced by the interaction of the transmit laser beam with the target of interest, includes an optical fiber pre-amplifier for amplifying the backscattered light to thereby produce an amplified return laser beam, and a phase locked loop receiving the primary laser beam and the amplified return laser beam for generating an electrical signal indicative of range, velocity and a characteristic signature of the target of interest. The transmitter and coherent receiver can be operated in a target acquisition mode of operation for determining range and velocity, and a signature acquisition mode of operation for determining a characteristic signature of the target of interest responsive to the electrical signal. A method for operating the micro-doppler ladar system is also described.

Fiber optic micro-doppler ladar system and operating method therefor

A method for compensating a reference signal used in a coherent receiver of a micro-doppler sensor having a transmitter includes the steps for: (a) repeatedly measuring phase differences between a signal emitted by the transmitter a first time and a previous signal emitted at a previous time so as to produce a plurality of phase error signals; (b) accumulating the phase error signals over a propagation time between the transmitter and the coherent receiver so as to produce a cumulative phase error signal; and (c) modulating a signal produced by the transmitter at the end of the propagation period so as to generate a compensated reference signal having a phase characteristic substantially identical to the signal produced by the transmitter at the beginning of the propagation period. A phase error or noise compensator, which can form part of a micro-doppler ladar system, is also described.

Method for extending range and sensitivity of a fiber optic

A phased array Raman laser amplifier includes a beam generator for generating a fundamental laser beam and a Raman seed frequency laser beam, and a fiber optic laser amplifier array for forming a diffraction limited output laser beam at the Raman seed frequency by amplifying the fundamental laser beam to a power level corresponding to the Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) threshold to thereby pump the SRS process and provide Raman gain to the Raman seed frequency laser beam. The fiber optic laser amplifier includes a beam splitter receiving the fundamental laser beam and the Raman seed frequency laser beam and generating N secondary fundamental and N Raman seed frequency laser beams, N parallel rare earth doped optical fiber sections, each of the optical fiber sections amplifying a respective one of the N secondary fundamental laser beams to thereby produce N tertiary laser beams at the power level corresponding to the Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS) threshold to thereby pump the SRS process and provide Raman gain to the N Raman seed frequency laser beams to thereby produce N amplified Raman seed frequency laser beams, and an optical combiner for receiving at least the N Raman seed frequency laser beams and for generating the diffraction limited output laser beam at the Raman seed frequency. Preferably, N is an integer greater than or equal to 2. A method for operating the phased array Raman laser amplifier is also described.

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Florissant, MO, United States of America

Mark S Zediker