Two-dimensional multi-beam stabilizer and combining systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325144-B2
Application number	US-201313766923-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2013
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

A system and method for stabilizing and combining multiple emitted beams into a single system using both WBC and WDM techniques.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A multi-beam stabilizer and combining system comprising:
a two-dimensional wavelength stabilizer having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam,
a first dispersive element, and
telecentric optics positioned and having power along the non-dispersive dimension to image the emitted beams onto the first dispersive element,
wherein the first dispersive element (i) reflects a portion of the emitted beams back into each beam emitter, thereby forming a resonator with each beam emitter that stabilizes the beam emitted by each beam emitter to a unique wavelength, and (ii) transmits a portion of the dispersed beams, each transmitted portion having the unique wavelength emitted by the beam emitter associated therewith; and

a wavelength combiner having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
a combining optical element, different from the first dispersive element, arranged to receive the dispersed beams, and cause the beams to converge along a beam combining dimension, and
a second dispersive element, positioned along a beam combining dimension, to receive the plurality of converging beams, and transmit the beams as a multi-wavelength output away from the array of beam emitters.

2. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength stabilizer comprises a transform optic configured to cause the emitted beams along the dispersive dimension to converge towards the first dispersive element.

3. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 1 , wherein the first dispersive element is a chirped grating.

4. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 1 , wherein the wavelength combiner comprises a second telecentric optic system having optical power along the non-dispersive dimension and positioned to receive transmitted beams from the first dispersive element and image those beams onto the second dispersive element.

5. A multi-beam stabilizer and combining system comprising:
a two-dimensional wavelength stabilizer having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam,
at least one transform optical element having power in the dispersive dimension placed to receive and cause the beams to converge,
a first dispersive element placed to receive the converging beams from the transform optical element and disperse the beams into at least two orders, wherein one of the orders is transmitted, and
a reflective surface configured to receive the non-transmitted order, reflect the order back onto the first dispersive element, through the transform optical element and into each of the emitters, wherein a resonator is formed between the mirror and a back facet of each of the emitters to thereby stabilize the beam emitted by each beam emitter to a unique wavelength; and

a wavelength combiner having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
a combining optical element, different from the first dispersive element, arranged to receive the transmitted order of beams, and cause the transmitted beams to converge along a beam combining dimension, and
a second dispersive element, positioned along a beam combining dimension, to receive the converging beams, and transmit the beams as a multi-wavelength output away from the array of beam emitters.

6. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 5 , wherein the wavelength stabilizer comprises telecentric optical elements having power in the non-dispersive dimension placed between the emitters and first dispersive element.

7. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 5 , wherein the first dispersive element is a transmission grating.

8. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 5 , wherein the wavelength combiner comprises a collimating optical element having optical power along the dispersive dimension, wherein the collimating optical element is positioned to receive the transmitted beams, collimate the beams and transmit them onto the combining optical element.

9. The multi-beam stabilizer and combining system of claim 5 , wherein the wavelength combiner comprises an imaging optical element having power along the non-dispersive dimension, and positioned to receive the transmitted beams form the image of the array of emitters along the non-dispersive dimension onto the second dispersive element.

10. A multi-beam stabilizer and combining system comprising:
a two-dimensional wavelength stabilizer having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam, wherein each emitter has a front facet and a partially reflective back facet,
a first dispersive element, and
telecentric optics positioned having power along both the dispersive and non-dispersive dimension to image emitted beams from the front facet onto the first dispersive element,
wherein the first dispersive element reflects the emitted beams back into each beam emitter, the back facet of each emitter transmitting a portion of a beam therethrough and reflecting a second portion back toward the first dispersive element, thereby forming a resonator, between the first dispersive element and the back facet of each emitter, which stabilizes the beam emitted by each beam emitter to a unique wavelength; and

a wavelength combiner having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
a combining optical element arranged to receive the transmitted dispersed beams from the back facet of each emitter, and cause the beams to converge along a dispersive dimension, and
a second dispersive element, positioned along a dispersive dimension, to receive the plurality of converging beams, and transmit the beams as a combined multi-wavelength output away from the array of beam emitters.

11. A multi-beam stabilizer and combining system comprising:
a two-dimensional wavelength stabilizer having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
an array of beam emitters each emitting a beam,
a polarizing optical element configured to redirect a portion of the emitted beams and transmit another portion of the beams,
a first dispersive element, and
telecentric optics having optical power along the dispersive and non-dispersive dimension that are positioned after the polarizing optical element to image the transmitted beams from the emitters onto the first dispersive element, and wherein the first dispersive element reflects the beams back into each emitter thereby forming a resonator between the first dispersive element and the back facet of each emitter that stabilizes the beam emitted by each beam emitter to a unique wavelength; and

a wavelength combiner having a dispersive and non-dispersive dimension comprising:
a combining optical element, different from the first dispersive element, arranged to receive the dispersed beams from the polarizing optical element, and cause the beams to converge along a beam combining dimension,
a second dispersive element, positioned along a beam combining dimension, to receive the plurality of converging beams, and transmit the beams as a multi-wavelength output away from the array of beam emitters.

12. A method of stabilizing and combining a two-dimensional array of emitters each emitting a beam, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a stabilizer cavity wherein each emitter forms a resonator with an external reflective surface to thereby stabilize the beam emitted by each emitter to a unique wavelength, wherein each beam emitted of the array of emitters is introduced to a dispersive element disposed within the resonator between the array of emitters and

Assignees

• Teradiode Inc

Inventors

• Tayebati Parviz
• Chann Bien

Classifications

• H01S3/0826 Primary

  using a diffraction grating · CPC title

• H01S5/143

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

• H01S3/139

  by controlling the mutual position or the reflecting properties of the reflectors of the cavity {, e.g. by controlling the cavity length} · CPC title

• H01S5/4087

  emitting more than one wavelength · CPC title

• H01S5/4068

  with lateral coupling by axially offset or by merging waveguides, e.g. Y-couplers · CPC title