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Recent advances in coupled laser cavity design

Recent advances in coupled laser cavity design
Recent advances in coupled laser cavity design
External cavity coherent beam combining represents a path forward to higher fiber laser radiance, with several groups demonstrating scalable approaches. In this paper, we review recent advances in coupled laser cavity design. In particular, we compare various designs and describe the pros and cons of each with regard to sensitivity to path length errors. Experimental measurements using a specially designed dual-core fiber demonstrate the modal loss from a superposition architecture. A second area of investigation is concerned with Q-switch suppression in coupled laser cavities. The increased cavity loss that accompanies path length errors in the laser arms can suppress lasing, causing an energy build-up in the laser inversion. When the path length errors are removed and the cavity resumes its low loss state, the stored energy can be released in a manner analogous to Q-switching, creating a giant laser pulse. Since the peak power of this pulse can be many orders of magnitude larger than the cw power, the high instantaneous intensity can cause irreparable damage to optical components. We investigate passive systems that are designed to suppress this unwanted Q-switching by allowing alternative lasing paths to clamp the gain.
Leger, James R.
7afbc5c6-2518-49bf-8b03-1a2456ebe2d8
Chiang, Hung-Sheng
27fef11c-4224-4973-9367-b64bf314b21c
Nilsson, Johan
f41d0948-4ca9-4b93-b44d-680ca0bf157b
Ji, Junhua
b0650333-a8e6-4a17-8195-598932709ca8
Sahu, Jayanta K.
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Leger, James R.
7afbc5c6-2518-49bf-8b03-1a2456ebe2d8
Chiang, Hung-Sheng
27fef11c-4224-4973-9367-b64bf314b21c
Nilsson, Johan
f41d0948-4ca9-4b93-b44d-680ca0bf157b
Ji, Junhua
b0650333-a8e6-4a17-8195-598932709ca8
Sahu, Jayanta K.
009f5fb3-6555-411a-9a0c-9a1b5a29ceb2

Leger, James R., Chiang, Hung-Sheng, Nilsson, Johan, Ji, Junhua and Sahu, Jayanta K. (2013) Recent advances in coupled laser cavity design. Conference on Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XV: SPIE LASE - 8600, , San Francisco, CA, United States. 03 - 07 Feb 2013. 7 pp . (doi:10.1117/12.2005628).

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)

Abstract

External cavity coherent beam combining represents a path forward to higher fiber laser radiance, with several groups demonstrating scalable approaches. In this paper, we review recent advances in coupled laser cavity design. In particular, we compare various designs and describe the pros and cons of each with regard to sensitivity to path length errors. Experimental measurements using a specially designed dual-core fiber demonstrate the modal loss from a superposition architecture. A second area of investigation is concerned with Q-switch suppression in coupled laser cavities. The increased cavity loss that accompanies path length errors in the laser arms can suppress lasing, causing an energy build-up in the laser inversion. When the path length errors are removed and the cavity resumes its low loss state, the stored energy can be released in a manner analogous to Q-switching, creating a giant laser pulse. Since the peak power of this pulse can be many orders of magnitude larger than the cw power, the high instantaneous intensity can cause irreparable damage to optical components. We investigate passive systems that are designed to suppress this unwanted Q-switching by allowing alternative lasing paths to clamp the gain.

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More information

Published date: 12 March 2013
Venue - Dates: Conference on Laser Resonators, Microresonators, and Beam Control XV: SPIE LASE - 8600, , San Francisco, CA, United States, 2013-02-03 - 2013-02-07

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 442709
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/442709
PURE UUID: b511df23-ff27-4e33-8836-979b143efc01
ORCID for Johan Nilsson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1691-7959
ORCID for Jayanta K. Sahu: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3560-6152

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 23 Jul 2020 16:32
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 02:53

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Contributors

Author: James R. Leger
Author: Hung-Sheng Chiang
Author: Johan Nilsson ORCID iD
Author: Junhua Ji
Author: Jayanta K. Sahu ORCID iD

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