光纤激光相控阵相干合成技术研究进展

主要介绍了近年来光纤激光相控阵相干合成技术的发展现状,总结了中国科学院光电技术研究所在这方面的最新研究成果,包括基于振幅调制的光纤激光相控阵相干合成能力优化、光纤激光相控阵实现收发一体相干合成、光纤激光相控阵的目标在回路相干合成、光纤激光相控阵在大气湍流下实现耦合接收光束的共相合束、基于多孔径波前探测的相干合成方法、基于自适应光纤准直器和微透镜阵列的光束大角度高精度连续寻址扫描等。以上研究工作将促进光纤激光相控阵技术朝向更多单元、更高功率、更远距离等方向演进,并推动其与激光大气传输、空间激光通信、自适应光学等理论和应用的结合与发展。     

多芯双包层光纤激光器相干合束纤芯最优化排布

基于衍射理论推导出多芯双包层光纤激光器的远场相干光光强理论模型,并在此基础之上,系统地分析比较了纤芯不同排布方式的合束效果,重点研究了纤芯的单层圆环排布、多层圆环排布、方形排布、正六边形堆积排布4种方案的合束效果,及在一定纤芯排布下纤芯直径、纤芯轴间距、出射平面与衍射平面间距离、波长对合束效果的影响。研究发现：在纤芯数目一定的情况下,单层圆环排布的合束效果最优,其次是方阵排布;纤芯数目越多,截面利用率越高,可获得更大合束最大光强;方阵排布方式及正六边形堆积排布方式可有效提高截面利用率;增大纤芯直径,减小纤芯轴间距、减小出射平面与衍射平面间的距离、减小波长可以获得更好的合束效果。     

多芯双包层光纤激光器相干合束纤芯最优化排布

 基于衍射理论推导出多芯双包层光纤激光器的远场相干光光强理论模型,并在此基础之上,系统地分析比较了纤芯不同排布方式的合束效果,重点研究了纤芯的单层圆环排布、多层圆环排布、方形排布、正六边形堆积排布4种方案的合束效果,及在一定纤芯排布下纤芯直径、纤芯轴间距、出射平面与衍射平面间距离、波长对合束效果的影响。研究发现：在纤芯数目一定的情况下,单层圆环排布的合束效果最优,其次是方阵排布;纤芯数目越多,截面利用率越高,可获得更大合束最大光强;方阵排布方式及正六边形堆积排布方式可有效提高截面利用率;增大纤芯直径,减小纤芯轴间距、减小出射平面与衍射平面间的距离、减小波长可以获得更好的合束效果。     

Flat-top laser beam generated by coherent beam combining of Gaussian lasers

We present a fiat-top laser beam generation scheme using coherent beam combining of hexagonally arranged Gaussian lasers. To produce a beam with a flat-top profile, we optimize the amplitude and phase of each unit laser using the least-square method. Simulation results show that with 13 unit lasers, a beam with the flatness of less than 1% in the optimizing region can be achieved. The main lobe contains over 95% of the total power. The scheme requires no external beam shaping element and has the potential to be designed for high-power applications.     

Off-axis Gaussian Schell-model beam and partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere

The propagation of an off-axis Gaussian Schell-model (GSM) beam in a turbulent atmosphere is investigated based on the extended Huygens-Fresnel integral formula. Analytical formulae for the cross-spectral density and corresponding partially coherent complex curvature tensor of an off-axis GSM beam propagating in a turbulent atmosphere are derived. Based on these formulae, the propagation properties of such kind of beam in a turbulent atmosphere are investigated in detail. Furthermore, the methods are extended to investigate the propagation properties of a partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere. The properties of an off-axis GSM beam and a partially coherent laser array beam in a turbulent atmosphere are closely related with the beam parameters and the structure constant of the turbulent atmosphere.     

All-fiber coherent beam combining of fiber lasers

One half of a 2x2 fused taper single-mode fiber coupler is used for the all-fiber spatial and spectral beam combining of two fiber lasers.     

Array size scaling of passive coherent beam combination in fiber laser array

Array size scaling of passive coherent beam combination is explored theoretically. The Strehl ratio variation with wavelength is simulated in 4-, 9-, 16-, and 25-channel fiber arrays. The average Strehl ratio and phase error are calculated. The Strehl ratio is found to be near 100% for arrays with less than 5 fibers, but decreases significantly for larger arrays. These results are in good agreement with the recent experimental results.     

基于衍射光学元件的激光相干合成研究进展

从衍射光学元件的基本原理出发,围绕连续波和脉冲波两大应用领域,综述了国内外基于衍射光学元件实现共孔径相干合成的研究进展。在国内,上海光学精密机械研究所分别实现了连续光和脉冲光的合成,连续光实现了206 W的输出功率,光束质量1.38,合束效率29.6%;脉冲光实现了峰值功率1.02 kW,重复频率2.2 MHz的ns级脉冲相干合成光束,合束效率61%。在国外,连续光方面实现了5 kW量级的合成光输出,合束效率82%;脉冲光方面实现了平均功率150 mW,重复频率100 MHz的fs级脉冲相干合成光束,合束效率83.4%。最后对基于衍射光学元件的激光相干合成技术的未来发展做出了展望,相信在不久的将来,基于衍射光学元件的相干合成技术会不断发展,逐渐突破技术瓶颈,从而为更多的应用领域奠定坚实基础。     

光纤激光器阵列相干合成中的位相探测与校正方法研究

介绍一高速的位相检测与控制方法，可以对高功率光纤激光器阵列中每一路信号光波的位相进行实时探测与控制，从而使整个系统达到锁相输出的目的.以一路信号光为例，给出该方法的实验研究结果，从中可以看出，闭环控制的结果，可以将该信号光的位相稳定在一设定的静态工作点上. 关键词： 光纤激光器阵列 锁相 外差探测     

偏振态对激光相干合成的影响

为了研究光束相干合成中偏振态的特性,取理想矩形光束进行模拟分析。通过改变偏振态的退偏率、偏振态夹角、参与合成的子束数目等,观察光场在远场叠加的合成效果。讨论了这些因素对远场合成效果的光强分布、峰值功率密度、光束质量因子等的影响。模拟结果显示：当退偏率小于10%、偏振态夹角小于18时,合成后光束质量因子小于1.1。     

偏振态对激光相干合成的影响

为了研究光束相干合成中偏振态的特性,取理想矩形光束进行模拟分析。通过改变偏振态的退偏率、偏振态夹角、参与合成的子束数目等,观察光场在远场叠加的合成效果。讨论了这些因素对远场合成效果的光强分布、峰值功率密度、光束质量因子等的影响。模拟结果显示:当退偏率小于10%、偏振态夹角小于18时,合成后光束质量因子小于1.1。     

2 kW级光纤激光相干偏振合成

基于主动锁相相干偏振合成系统实现了四路500 W级全光纤窄线宽保偏放大器的共孔径合成输出。当相位控制系统处于闭环状态时, 整个合成系统的输出功率达2164 W, 合成效率为94.5%。实验中, 随着功率的提升, 合成效率未发生明显退化。这是目前相干偏振合成系统的最高输出功率。     

Diffractive-optics-based beam combination of a phase-locked fiber laser array

A diffractive optical element (DOE) is used as a beam combiner for an actively phase-locked array of fiber lasers. Use of a DOE eliminates the far-field sidelobes and the accompanying loss of beam quality typically observed in tiled coherent laser arrays. Using this technique, we demonstrated coherent combination of five fiber lasers with 91% efficiency and M2=1.04. Combination efficiency and phase locking is robust even with large amplitude and phase fluctuations on the input laser array elements. Calculations and power handling measurements suggest that this approach can scale to both high channel counts and high powers.     

2 kW级光纤激光相干偏振合成

基于主动锁相相干偏振合成系统实现了四路500 W级全光纤窄线宽保偏放大器的共孔径合成输出。当相位控制系统处于闭环状态时, 整个合成系统的输出功率达2164 W, 合成效率为94.5%。实验中, 随着功率的提升, 合成效率未发生明显退化。这是目前相干偏振合成系统的最高输出功率。     

Speckle-metric-optimization-based adaptive optics for laser beam projection and coherent beam combining

Maximization of a projected laser beam's power density at a remotely located extended object (speckle target) can be achieved by using an adaptive optics (AO) technique based on sensing and optimization of the target-return speckle field's statistical characteristics, referred to here as speckle metrics (SM). SM AO was demonstrated in a target-in-the-loop coherent beam combining experiment using a bistatic laser beam projection system composed of a coherent fiber-array transmitter and a power-in-the-bucket receiver. SM sensing utilized a 50 MHz rate dithering of the projected beam that provided a stair-mode approximation of the outgoing combined beam's wavefront tip and tilt with subaperture piston phases. Fiber-integrated phase shifters were used for both the dithering and SM optimization with stochastic parallel gradient descent control.     

两光纤激光器相干合成的实验研究

利用迈氏腔技术,进行了光子晶体光纤(PCF)激光器相干合成的实验研究,实现了两光子晶体光纤激光器的相位锁定,获得了功率为47W的相干输出.解释了在迈氏腔的两个输出光路上分别实现相干相长和相干相消的物理机理.实验结果表明,合成激光光谱较单台PCF激光器的激光光谱有显著的改善,波长带宽小于5nm. 关键词： 光子晶体光纤 相位锁定 迈氏腔 光纤激光器     

Method for converting a Gaussian laser beam into a uniform beam

The use of a phase filter to convert a gaussian laser beam into a beam with more uniform irradiance distribution is discussed. This phase filter is calculated by employing an iterative procedure on a computer. A computer-generated hologram of this phase function is used to experimentally verify the feasibility of this method.     

Passive coherent beam combining of two femtosecond fiber chirped-pulse amplifiers

We propose and demonstrate an architecture that achieves passive coherent combination of two femtosecond fiber chirped-pulse amplifiers. The setup consists in the use of a well-balanced amplifying Sagnac interferometer. The experiment shows that the temporal, spectral, and spatial qualities of each beam are retained, with the generation of 250?fs pulses at 35?MHz repetition rate, an uncompressed average power of 10?W, and a combining efficiency of 96%. The behavior of this architecture in the presence of high accumulated nonlinear phase is investigated.     

采用多波长光束组合改善二极管激光阵列的光束质量

 基于多波长光束组合技术,利用光栅的衍射和外腔的反馈,将二极管阵列的发光单元锁定在不同的波长上,相邻单元的出射光波长有微小的差异。从外腔耦合镜输出近似平行的光束,其光束质量等同于单个发光单元的光束质量,而组合光束亮度随着组合光束个数定标放大。实验中采用发光单元宽度为100 μm、填充因子为0.5、由49个单元构成的1 cm 阵列获得功率为2.39 W的输出光束,其光谱宽度为27 nm,远场光斑的直径为0.08 mm,对应的远场发散角为1.2 mrad,其光束质量因子约为28,与单个发光单元的光束质量相当。     

Collective phase measurement of an array of fiber lasers by quadriwave lateral shearing interferometry for coherent beam combining

We present a new configuration of quadriwave lateral shearing interferometer dedicated to phase detection for beam-combining purposes. Assuming that the fibers are disposed in a matrix arrangement, our scheme gives direct access to the phase step between adjacent fibers in two dimensions. Experimentally recorded interferograms are made only of two-wave interference fringes that scroll as the phase evolves in the fibers. This simplicity allows fast treatment by the spatial demodulation process, and the phase map from the fibers can be estimated in real time. No external reference is required, and the technique is fully compatible with a high number of fibers.