High brightness, monolithic, multispectral semiconductor laser

Abstract

A system and method for combining multiple emitters into a multi-wavelength output beam having a certain band and combining a plurality of these bands into a single output using non-free space combining modules.

Claims

1. A laser system comprising: a plurality of beam emitters each configured to emit an optical beam having a different wavelength; a non-free-space optical module positioned to receive the optical beams; a diffraction grating for combining the optical beams into a multi-wavelength beam; and positioned to receive the multi-wavelength beam, a reflector for (i) transmitting a first portion of the multi-wavelength beam as an output beam, and (ii) reflecting a second portion of the multi-wavelength beam, thereby causing transmission of the second portion of the multi-wavelength beam through the non-free-space optical module back to the plurality of beam emitters, whereby each beam emitter is stabilized to its emission wavelength.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an optic for converging the plurality of optical beams toward the diffraction grating.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the optic is spaced away from a surface of the non-free-space optical module.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the optic is disposed on a surface of the non-free-space optical module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the diffraction grating is disposed on a surface of the non-free-space optical module or within the non-free-space optical module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the reflector is disposed on a surface of the non-free-space optical module or within the non-free-space optical module.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the reflector is disposed on a surface of the non-free-space optical module or within the non-free-space optical module.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the beam emitters is a diode emitter disposed within a diode bar.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the non-free-space optical module comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glass, silica, sapphire, CaF.sub.2, MgF.sub.2, and ZnSe.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of optical fibers, each optical fiber being associated with one of the beam emitters.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a collimation optic for collimating the optical beams.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the collimation optic is disposed on a surface of the non-free-space optical module.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more prisms positioned to receive one or more of the optical beams.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a dichroic combiner positioned to receive the output beam.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 illustrates a non-free space WBC module.

(2) FIG. 2 illustrates a plurality of non-free space WBC modules configured to produce a multi-broad band output beam.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of stacked non-free space WBC modules configured to produce a multi-broad band output beam.

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates a non-free space WBC module having multiple diode bar inputs.

(5) FIG. 5 illustrates a non-free space WBC module where the source of the input beams is abutted against the input surface of the combining module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) For purposes of this application optical elements may refer to any of lenses, mirrors, prisms and the like which redirect, reflect, bend, or in any other manner optically manipulate electromagnetic radiation. Additionally, the term beam includes visible light, infrared radiation, ultra-violet radiation, and electromagnetic radiation. Emitters include any beam-generating device such as semiconductor elements, which generate a beam, but may or may not be self-resonating. These also include fiber lasers, disk lasers, non-solid state lasers and so forth. Generally each emitter is comprised of at least one gain element. For example, a diode element is configured to produce a beam and has a gain element, which may be incorporated into a resonating system.

(7) It should also be understand that certain emitters mentioned in embodiments below, such as a diode element, may be interchanged with other types of beam emitters.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a non-free space WBC system 100. An array of laser elements 2, which could be a single diode bar, provides an input into combining module 10 at an input surface that also provides a combining optic 4 that is configured to cause each of the input beams to converge towards another optical surface 8, which has a grating formed therein. The grating causes the beams to combine into a multi-wavelength beam similar to other WBC systems. Here the combined multi-wavelength beam is reflected off a reflective surface 6, to help provide a compact design and then onto a partially-reflective output coupler surface 12. A portion of the combined multi-wavelength beam is reflected back towards the grating 8 and back into each of the array of emitters. This results in stabilizing each emitter to a specific wavelength. An input surface 16 of a dichroic combiner 20 receives the combined and directs it towards a dichroic reflecting surface 14. Each dichroic reflective surface is configured to reflect a certain band of wavelengths while transmitting other bands of wavelengths. The resulting system 100 produces a multi-wavelength output beam 25 that may be combined with other systems.

(9) For example, the multi-broad beam combining system 200 of FIG. 2 combines four non-free space WBC systems 100a-d. Each system has an array of emitters 2a-d with accompanying gratings 8a-d that each produce a unique multi-wavelength band of beams. Each of these bands is then combined within the dichroic combiners 20a-d to produce a multi-band output. For example, one band could be in the visible (VIS) or ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, another band could near infrared (NIR), another band could be mid infrared (MWIR), and another could be long infrared band (LWIR). Additionally, it is contemplated a variety of bands in between and of various bandwidths may be used.

(10) As mentioned each combining module may have a distinct wavelength characteristic to produce the desired multi-wavelength output band (beams). Wavelength beam combining can be applied to any laser with a gain bandwidth. For example, these lasers may include diode lasers, fiber lasers, CO2 lasers, and/or Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs).

(11) Wavelength beam combining (WBC) is an incoherent process and, thus, does not require phasing of laser elements. In some embodiments, the brightness of the output beam 25 scales proportionally to the total number of laser elements. The output beam 25 of a WBC system is that of a single beam. In both coherent and WBC systems, the output beam quality is the same as that of a single emitter but the output power scales the power from all the laser elements. If both very high spectral brightness (single frequency operation) and very high spatial brightness (single spatial mode) is required then coherent beam combination is the only method. However, in many cases single frequency operation is not desired and may be detrimental to the functionality of the system, thus making WBC the preferred approach.

(12) FIG. 3 illustrates another multi-broad beam combining system 300 where instead of a planar combined system the combining modules 10a-d are stacked. Similarly the array of input emitters 2a-d may likewise be stacked and share in series or parallel power. Grating 8a-d formed on one of the outer surfaces of combining module 10a-d may be individually formed on each module as shown, or some instances formed as a single surface. Combining modules 10a-d may also be initially formed as a single unit or later stacked and combined to form a single non-free space combining system 300. The positioning of the dichroic combiners 20a-d becomes more vertically integrated, but functions similarly to 200 to produce a multi-wavelength output beam 25 having a plurality of bands.

(13) An alternative non-free space system 400 to that of a stacking or planar modular combining system is illustrated in FIG. 4. Here multiple arrays of emitters 2 are mounted on the surface of a combining module 30. Coupling prisms receive the input beams and internally reflect the beams toward an optically mounted or surface formed combing optic that causes the beams to converge towards a grating 8, which may be a diffraction or volume Bragg grating and combines the beams again into a multi-wavelength beam output that is transmitted onto the partially reflecting output coupler 12. This combining module 30 may be mounted to a cooling surface 40. System 400 may be combined with other systems similar to 200 or 300 using dichroic combiners to scale power and output bands. Here it is shown that no free-space exists between the array of emitters 2 and coupling prism 3 as the beams are directly coupled into the system.

(14) FIG. 5 illustrates another directly coupled system 500 having emitters 2 directly coupled into combining module 10. The combining optic 4 is formed at a distance away from the input surface.

(15) Additional optical surfaces/elements may be formed into the combining modules such as a chief-ray collimation optic which may help to enable the output to be co-boresighted. A co-boresighted system is important for many applications such as various spectroscopy systems including: conventional absorption spectroscopy of trace chemical and biological agents, improvised explosive detection, differential absorption lidar (DIAL), and multi-wavelength photo-acoustic spectroscopy, material verification, anti-counterfeiting, and threat screening.

(16) FAC and SAC optics as well as beam rotating or repositioning surfaces may be formed therein as well. In some embodiments the facets of the combining module may have optical surfaces formed therein such as add a reflecting layer/coating or forming a dispersive element such as grating therein.

Control Electronics and Software

(17) In some embodiments, control electronics and software may be used to apply current to the individually addressable QCL array and operate the DMD chip as required for the electronic wavelength tuning. In such embodiments, the QCLs may operate under pulsed operation, operated by a pulsed QCL driver. In some embodiments, the control software may have wavelength sweep modes, ramp modes, and/or any other modes commonly used in the art.

(18) In at least one embodiment, coarse wavelength tuning may be accomplished by switching the specific QCL of interest in the array. In additional embodiments, fine wavelength tuning may be accomplished by adjusting the DMD mirror corresponding to that particular device. By adjusting the DMD mirror, electrical power may be applied to all elements of the QCL array constantly, and wavelength tuning may be accomplished by adjusting the DMD mirror for feedback to a single element within the QCL array.

(19) Although the focus of this application has been on the MID-IR range, the principles may apply to wavelengths outside of those ranges that are determined by the emitters and gratings used.

(20) The above description is merely illustrative. Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention including the preferred embodiments, it is to be appreciated that various alterations, modifications, and improvements may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.