Comparative study on the power scaling performance of three different coherent polarization beam combination system structures

Coherent polarization beam combination (CPBC) is a new kind of coherent beam combination configuration with high combining efficiency and excellent beam quality. In order to extend the CPBC system to a large scale, we provide a comparative study on the power scaling performance of three different coherent polarization beam combination system structures. It is found that the pairwise structure has high tolerance to aberrations and has the potential to extend to a large scale with high combining efficiency. In consideration of all the aberrations, the combining efficiency of the pairwise structure can be attained as high as 90% when the combined beams are more than 200. Some instructive suggestions are given to extend the CPBC system to a large scale.     

Shaping super-Gaussian beam through digital micro-mirror device

We have set up a novel system for shaping the Gaussian laser beams into super-Gaussian beams.The digital micro-mirror device(DMD)is able to modulate the laser light spatially through binary-amplitude modulation mechanism.With DMD,the irradiance of the laser beam can be redistributed flexibly and various beams with different intensity distribution can be produced.A super-Gaussian beam has been successfully shaped from the Gaussian beam with the use of DMD.This technique will be widely applied in lithography,quantum emulation and holographic optical tweezers which require precise control of beam profile.     

Experimental research on application of Hartmann micro-lens array in coherent beam combination of two-dimensional laser array

We demonstrate experimentally the application of a phase error detection method in the coherent beam combination (CBC) of a laser array. The method is based on the Hartmann micro-lens array. Both the piston and tilt errors can be detected and corrected simultaneously by combining this method with adaptive optics-correcting technology. The far-field intensity pattern of the combined beam has high energy concentration and good beam quality. The power encircled in the main lobe of the far-field pattern is 41.3%, and the contrast of the pattern reaches 81.8%. Experimental results show the great potential of the Hartmann phasing method for use in the CBC of a large number of laser beams.     

High Power Pulse Laser Reflection Sequence Combination with a Fast Steering Mirror

We propose and demonstrate a new approach for a high power pulse laser reflection sequence combination with a fast steering mirror(FSM). This approach possesses significant advantages for lasers combining with a variety of output power, wavelength, pulse duration, repetition rates and polarization. The maximum number of laser routes participating in combination principally depends on the FSM's adjustment time of the step response, lasers' repetition rates and pulse duration. A proof-of-principle experiment is performed with two 2-kW level pulsed beams. The results indicate that the combined beam has an excellent pointing stability with rms pointing jitter～8.5μrad. Meanwhile, a high combining efficiency of 98.6% is achieved with maintaining good beam quality.     

Laser output of radial-slab solid-state laser

In this letter, numerical simulation and experimental study of a radial-slab solid-state laser are presented. The laser includes four crossing-slabs pumped by four Xe flashlamps. The numerical simulation of coherent intensity in the near field and the far field indicates that the laser with the structure can improve the quality of output beam compared with incoherent beam combination. The radial-slab solid-state laser is fabricated, and initial experiments are carried out at a pulse repetition of 1 Hz. Nine beams in the near field and one combined beam in the far field are obtained in our initial experiment. The experimental results are consistent with the numerical analysis in the coherent condition. The results show that coherent beam combination is obtained by this laser.     

High Efficiency Multi-kW Diode-Side-Pumped Nd：YAG Laser with Reduced Thermal Effect

We demonstrate a high efficiency multi-kW diode-side-pumped Nd：YAG laser. High cooling efficiency of the diode-side-pumped module in the laser is achieved. The middle portion of the Nd：YAG rod in the module is cooled by a coolant jet with screwed side surface, and the end-caps of the rod without screwed side surface are cooled by Au coated on the surface. The thermal effect of the laser rod is reduced, which leads to high output power with high optical-optical conversion efficiency. By using three identical Nd：YAG laser modules, an output power of 4.2 kW and beam quality of 58 mm＆#12539;mrad with an optical-optical efficiency of 35% at 1064 nm is obtained in a laser oscillator. By using four identical Nd：YAG laser modules, an output power of 3.1 kW and beam quality of 17 mm＆#12539;mrad with an optical-optical efficiency of 25.8% is demonstrated in a master oscillator power-amplifier system.     

High-Repetition-Rate and High-Beam-Quality Laser Pulses with 1.5 MW Peak Power Generation from a Two-Stage Nd:YVO_4 Amplifier

We develop a two-stage end-pumped Nd:YVO_4 amplifier seeded by a passively Q-switched microchip laser. An average output power of 13.5 W with repetition rate up to 7 kHz and pulse duration of ～1.24 ns is obtained,corresponding to a pump extraction efficiency of 16.1%(19.5% for the second stage) and peak power of ～1.5 MW.The beam quality factors at maximum output power are measured to be M_x~2= 1.56 and M_y~2= 1.48. We introduce an analytical model to estimate gain and beam quality after amplification. This model focuses on the influence of ratio of seed spot radius to pump spot radius when designing an amplifier. Moreover, our experiments reveal that the re-imaging system in the double-pass configuration can be used to enhance the beam quality.     

Coherent beam combination of two slab laser amplifiers based on stochastic parallel gradient descent algorithm

Coherent beam combination(CBC) of laser arrays is an efficient way to scale brightness.We demonstrate CBC of two slab laser amplifiers based on active phase locking.Instead of the complex phase detection system,intensity detection is used and the feedback control signal is calculated based on the stochastic parallel gradient descent(SPGD) algorithm.The experimental investigation on a 101.5-W CBC of two slab amplifiers shows that the entire system in a closed loop performs well for long-time observation.A combination efficiency of nearly 81% is realized.The slab amplifier laser arrays are the coherent beams efficiently combined by active phase locking based on the SPGD.     

Placement Scheme of Numerous Laser Beams in the Context of Fiber-Based Laser Fusion

A simple scheme based on the uniform distribution for the placement of numerous laser beams in the context o~ fiber-based laser fusion is proposed. It is theoretically demonstrated that all modes of the geometrical factor can be eliminated if sufflcient laser beams are uniformly distributed on the sphere. In the case of a finite number of laser beams, a quasi-uniform distribution of beams can be achieved based on the equal area subdivision algorithm. Numerical simulations indicate that with the increasing number of laser beams, the order of the dominant geometrical mode increases, and the irradiation nonuniformity decreases accordingly.     

Simulation of the Quasi-Monoenergetic Protons Generation by Parallel Laser Pulses Interaction with Foils

A new scheme of radiation pressure acceleration for generating high-quality protons by using two overlappingparallel laser pulses is proposed. Particle-in-cell simulation shows that the overlapping of two pulses with identical Caussian profiles in space and trapezoidal profiles in the time domain can result in a composite light pulse with a spatial profile suitable for stable acceleration of protons to high energies. At～2.46 × 10^21 W/cm^2 intensity of the combination light pulse, a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam with peak energy ,～200 MeV/nucleon, energy spread 〈15%, and divergency angle 〈4° is obtained, which is appropriate for tumor therapy. The proton beam quality can be controlled by adjusting the incidence points of two laser pulses.     

复合式无遮拦激光扩束器的设计

为满足大功率激光发射的要求,提出研制一种基于卡塞格林系统的大口径激光发射的复合式无遮拦激光扩束器,消除卡塞格林系统中心遮拦,提高激光发射效率。依据卡塞格林系统原理及其结构特征,结合伽利略折射式扩束器的特点,设计一种发射口径为550 mm的复合式无遮拦激光扩束器,采用反射式扩束器和折射式扩束器结合的方式,在卡塞格林次镜中心开通孔,使中心被遮拦激光透过。后接伽利略式折射扩束器,对中心透过光束进行扩束,两光束共轴发射。对设计的新型复合扩束器进行激光透过率实验,实验结果表明,对于波长10.6μm激光,透过率大于95.21%,比传统卡塞格林扩束器提高22.12%。     

大气湍流和热晕效应对列阵合成激光传输特性和光束质量影响的理论研究进展

介绍了大气湍流效应和热晕效应对列阵合成激光传输特性和光束质量影响的理论研究进展。主要介绍了合成激光在大气中传输的解析和数值模拟研究方法,大气湍流效应对列阵合成光束的光强分布、远场发散角、方向性、曲率半径和湍流距离的影响,以及大气热晕效应对列阵合成光束的光强分布、传输效率、重心偏移、热晕时间尺度和焦移的影响。研究结果表明,大气湍流效应和热晕效应对合成激光光束质量的影响与光束合成方式、合成光束参数以及大气参数密切相关。     

External-cavity beam combining of 4-channel quantum cascade lasers

We demonstrate an external-cavity (EC) beam combining of 4-channel quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) with an output coupler which makes different QCL beams propagating coaxially. A beam combining efficiency of 35% (up to 75% near threshold) is obtained with a beam quality M² of 5.5. A peak power of 0.64 W is achieved at a wavelength of 4.7 μm. The differences of spot characteristic between coupled and uncoupled are also showed in this letter. The QCLs in this EC system do not have heat crosstalk so that the system can be used for high power beam combining of QCLs.     

产生钠导引星星群的钠信标激光合/分束技术

研究了脉冲光束的偏振和时序非相干合成技术,通过偏振合束器将两路50 W级500 Hz的589 nm钠信标激光在空间上合为一束光线,成功突破了100 W级μs脉冲全固态钠信标激光输出;利用脉冲激光同步延时器控制两路激光脉冲的时序,使其按先后顺序合成一束脉冲激光,重复频率提升到1 kHz。合束后的激光光束质量M²约为1.41,与单光束的光束质量基本保持一致,光斑抖动性约为40μrad,可满足激光钠导引星自适应光学系统的应用需求。与传统的相干合成方法相比,该偏振和时序非相干合成方案具有结构简单、稳定、效率高的优点,且整个系统无需复杂的相位控制机制,为脉冲激光功率扩展提供了新途径。基于上述技术基础,结合自主提出的精密偏振分光专利技术,在丽江天文台通过一台发射望远镜将四束25 W/束的μs脉冲黄激光发射到钠层,成功产生了四颗钠导引星,这一结果将有助于推动大型地基光学望远镜中多层共轭自适应光学技术的发展。     

基于透射型体布拉格光栅的两通道2.5kW光谱组束输出

体光栅光谱组束是获得高功率激光输出的一种有效途径.在有限的可用带宽内,光谱通道间隔影响着组束光束数目以及最终的高功率组束输出.采用耦合波理论,建立了一个两通道高功率光谱组束模型.通过优化体光栅光谱通道间隔,可放宽对组束子束线宽和功率的限制,组束功率可大幅提升而光谱密度并无显著下降.基于此,实验上获得了2.5 kW组束输出,绝对效率超过85%,通道间隔5 nm,光谱密度为0.51kW/nm.组束功率1 kW时,组束输出能保持好的光束质量;组束功率1.5kW时光束质量恶化较明显,通过分析发现,组束光束质量的恶化主要受限于体光栅的色散及高功率下体光栅复杂的热畸变.     

基于光纤激光相控阵的空间激光通信系统

为了满足超远程和高速空间激光通信的需求,设计了一种以1.06 m光纤激光4支路相控阵作为发射源的通信系统结构。采用53 Mb/s、120 Mb/s、155 Mb/s速率调制的伪随机序列,实验了相控阵种子源和一条支路处调制的2种方案。结果表明:相同速率下,种子源调制的接收眼图质量较好,通过相位控制,可以进一步提高接收质量。实验中,研究了2条支路光分别调制的相控阵多载波特性,调制信号采用5/5.08 MHz及20/40 MHz两组正弦波,经光束合成和相位控制,在接收端观测到相应的频域信号。实验初步验证了光纤激光相控阵空间通信系统的可行性。     

M~2-factor of high-power laser beams through a multi-apertured ABCD optical system

Based on the generalized truncated second-order moments, an approximate analytical formula of the beam propagation factor M~2 of high-power laser beams passing through the optical system with multiple hard-edged apertures is deduced. Numerical examples of the beams passing through an aperture-spatial filter are enclosed, and the influences of amplitude modulations(AMs) and phase fluctuations(PFs) on the beam propagation quality of high-power laser beams passing through the multi-apertured ABCD optical system are considered and discussed. It is shown that PFs are able to degrade the beam propagation quality of laser beams more than AMs when the high-power laser beams passing through the aperture-spatial filter, furthermore, one or two aperture-lens optical systems configured appropriate aperture parameters are both able to upgrade the beam propagation quality of high-power laser beams. The M~2 factor of Gaussian beam passing through the multi-aperture optical system is a special case in this paper.     

光纤激光共孔径光谱合成实现5kW高效优质输出

采用多层介质膜衍射光栅实现多路高功率光纤激光共孔径光谱合成有望成为光纤激光同时实现高功率、高效率和高光束质量的最具发展潜力的技术途径。搭建了一套基于双光栅色散补偿设计的5kW共孔径光谱合成系统。采用国产多层介质膜衍射光栅实现了5路kW级窄谱子束激光的高效优质共孔径光谱合成,最大输出功率达5.07kW,光束质量因子(M2)小于3,合成效率达到91.2%。初步研究表明:多层介质膜衍射光栅在较高功率水平、较宽光谱范围内均能保持较高衍射效率,是实现高功率光纤激光高效率光谱合成的重要器件;参与合成的子束自身的光束质量水平和线宽是影响合成输出光束质量的重要因素,光谱合成系统的输出功率主要受限于窄谱子束的输出功率和合成路数,增加窄谱子束的功率或合成路数均可进一步提升系统的输出功率。     

热透镜控制激光光束质量技术研究

在端面抽运固体激光器中，就如何改善在高抽运功率时输出激光的光束质量，提出一种激光器的设计方法。在激光器谐振腔中放入多根掺杂浓度不同的激光介质，利用激光介质内部产生的热透镜控制抽运光和基模振荡光的空间分布，并且最大限度地使抽运光的分布区和基模振荡光分布区重叠，实现抽运光与基模振荡光在空间上高度匹配，进而提高抽运光能量的利用效率和振荡光的光束质量。实验表明，在不同抽运功率下，抽运光和基模振荡光在晶体内部的光斑的空间分布可通过热透镜加以控制。在端面抽运功率200 W附近时，实现了抽运光与基模振荡光较高程度匹配，光束质量因子M2由14.7改善为4.1。