The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 16, 1988
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1985
Frank E Goodwin, Burke, VA (US);
Bor-Uei Chen, Studio City, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A device for combining the outputs of multiple laser sources to produce a single coherent beam with good far-field characteristics. The device includes an optical star coupler having multiple path lengths that are deliberately chosen to be different, by amounts that give rise to an interference pattern that has constructive interference peaks at periodic cycles along a wavelength interval. The optical path-length differences result in the occurrence of at least one wavelength, within the operating range of the lasers, at which all of the lasers will operate. The relationships among the optical path lengths is such that the lasing wavelength is relatively insensitive to phase mismatches along the path lengths.