Fiber-based output couplers for wavelength beam combining laser systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10014650-B2
Application number	US-201715439396-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2017
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

In various embodiments, wavelength beam combining laser systems incorporate optical fibers and partially reflective output couplers or partially reflective interfaces or surfaces utilized to establish external lasing cavities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser system comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam;
focusing optics for focusing the beams toward a dispersive element;
the dispersive element for receiving and dispersing the focused beams, thereby forming a multi-wavelength beam;
an optical fiber for receiving the multi-wavelength beam; and
disposed within the optical fiber, a fiber Bragg grating for receiving the multi-wavelength beam, reflecting a first portion thereof back toward the dispersive element, and transmitting a second portion thereof as an output beam composed of multiple wavelengths,
wherein a portion of the optical fiber is disposed within an external lasing cavity established between the array of beam emitters and the fiber Bragg grating.

2. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein (i) the optical fiber comprises one or more cores at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers, and (ii) at least a portion of the fiber Bragg grating is disposed within at least one core of the optical fiber.

3. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffraction grating.

4. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the focusing optics comprises at least one of a cylindrical lens or a cylindrical mirror.

5. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a first end cap attached to the optical fiber and disposed optically upstream of the fiber Bragg grating.

6. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a second end cap attached to the optical fiber and disposed optically downstream of the fiber Bragg grating.

7. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising, disposed optically upstream of the dispersive element, second optics for rotating at least one of the beams.

8. The laser system of claim 1 , wherein the focusing optics comprise one or more spherical lenses and/or one or more spherical mirrors.

9. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising a second fiber Bragg grating disposed within the optical fiber.

10. The laser system of claim 1 , further comprising, disposed optically downstream of the array of beam emitters, at least one of a slow-axis collimation lens, an optical twister, or a fast-axis collimation lens.

11. A laser system comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam;
focusing optics for focusing the beams toward a dispersive element;
the dispersive element for receiving and dispersing the focused beams, thereby forming a multi-wavelength beam;
a first optical fiber for receiving the multi-wavelength beam;
a second optical fiber disposed optically downstream of the first optical fiber; and
disposed between the first and second optical fibers, a partially reflective output coupler for receiving the multi-wavelength beam, reflecting a first portion thereof back toward the dispersive element, and transmitting a second portion thereof as an output beam composed of multiple wavelengths.

12. The laser system of claim 11 , further comprising a first end cap and/or a first focusing lens disposed between the first optical fiber and the partially reflective output coupler.

13. The laser system of claim 12 , further comprising a second end cap and/or a second focusing lens disposed between the partially reflective output coupler and the second optical fiber.

14. The laser system of claim 11 , further comprising a second end cap and/or a second focusing lens disposed between the partially reflective output coupler and the second optical fiber.

15. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffraction grating.

16. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the focusing optics comprise one or more cylindrical lenses, one or more cylindrical mirrors, one or more spherical lenses, and/or one or more spherical mirrors.

17. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the first optical fiber comprises a core at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

18. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the first optical fiber comprises multiple cores each at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

19. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the second optical fiber comprises a core at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

20. The laser system of claim 11 , wherein the second optical fiber comprises multiple cores each at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

21. The laser system of claim 11 , further comprising, disposed optically upstream of the dispersive element, second optics for rotating at least one of the beams.

22. A laser system comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam;
focusing optics for focusing the beams toward a dispersive element;
the dispersive element for receiving and dispersing the focused beams, thereby forming a multi-wavelength beam;
an optical fiber for receiving the multi-wavelength beam; and
disposed optically downstream of the optical fiber, a partially reflective output coupler for receiving the multi-wavelength beam from the optical fiber, reflecting a first portion thereof back through the optical fiber and toward the dispersive element, and transmitting a second portion thereof as an output beam composed of multiple wavelengths.

23. The laser system of claim 22 , wherein the partially reflective output coupler is disposed within a laser processing head detachable from at least a portion of the optical fiber.

24. The laser system of claim 23 , further comprising one or more focusing lenses disposed within the laser processing head.

25. The laser system of claim 22 , further comprising one or more focusing lenses disposed optically downstream of the optical fiber and optically upstream of the partially reflective output coupler.

26. The laser system of claim 22 , wherein the dispersive element comprises a diffraction grating.

27. The laser system of claim 22 , wherein the focusing optics comprise one or more cylindrical lenses, one or more cylindrical mirrors, one or more spherical lenses, and/or one or more spherical mirrors.

28. The laser system of claim 22 , wherein the optical fiber comprises a core at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

29. The laser system of claim 22 , wherein the optical fiber comprises multiple cores each at least partially surrounded by one or more cladding layers.

30. The laser system of claim 22 , further comprising, disposed optically upstream of the dispersive element, second optics for rotating at least one of the beams.

Assignees

• Reeves Hall Peter Colin
• Tayebati Parviz
• Lochman Bryan
• Chann Bien
• Huang Robin
• Teradiode Inc

Inventors

• Reeves-Hall Peter Colin
• Tayebati Parviz
• Lochman Bryan
• Chann Bien
• Huang Robin

Classifications

• H01S3/23

  Arrangements of two or more lasers not provided for in groups H01S3/02 - H01S3/22, e.g. tandem arrangements of separate active media · CPC title

• H01S3/067

  Fibre lasers · CPC title

• H01S3/08 Primary

  Construction or shape of optical resonators or components thereof · CPC title

• H01S5/143 Primary

  Littman-Metcalf configuration, e.g. laser - grating - mirror · CPC title

• H01S5/02251

  using optical fibres · CPC title