Raytheon Company

The Boeing Company

Philip C Todd

Joe Anthony Ortiz

James Lazar

Robert F Stiffler

Stephen J Hulsey

Bruce R Baker

A high-power laser system includes a plurality of cascaded diode drivers, a pump source, and a laser element. The diode drivers are configured to generate a continuous driver signal. The pump source is configured to generate radiated energy in response to the continuous driver signal. The laser element is disposed downstream from the pump source and is configured to generate a laser beam in response to stimulation via the radiated energy. The high-power laser system further includes an electronic controller configured to output at least one driver signal that operates the plurality of diode drivers at a fixed frequency. The at least one driver signal operates a first cascade diode driver among the plurality of diode drivers 90 degrees out of phase with respect to a second cascade diode driver among the plurality of diode drivers.

Laser diode driver with variable input voltage and variable diode string voltage

A current control circuit forces current sharing among paralleled power converters. Each power converter has an associated current control circuit, which includes a current amplifier and a coupling circuit. The current amplifier outputs a feedback signal to a voltage regulation error amplifier when the power converter output current falls below a predetermined threshold level. The error amplifier causes an increase in the power converter output voltage, forcing an increase in output current. Therefore, each power converter in a paralleled arrangement is regulated to provide a minimum level of output current, based on a predetermined threshold value.

Regulator with feedback voltage and current signal summing into controller

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Los Alamitos, CA, United States of America

Philip C Todd