Experimental investigations concerning the operation characteristics of a coherent fiber laser MOPA array are presented.
The experimental set up consists of a single frequency fiber coupled 35 mW DBR diode laser at 1063 nm as master
oscillator and two polarization maintaining two stage 2 W Yb doped commercial fiber amplifiers. Phase control is
accomplished by fiber coupled acousto-optic frequency shifters prior to the amplifiers and an opto-electric phase locked
loop operating at 100 MHz. Phase measurement at the amplifier output is achieved by a combination of a free space and
fiberoptic interferometer in combination with RF photodiodes. A heterodyne signal of the amplifier output signal is
generated with respect to a reference signal derived from the master oscillator and works as input signal for the phase
control. Phase coupling of the array is demonstrated and the degree of coherence is determined from the contrast of the
far field diffraction pattern of the output beam as well as from analysis of the RF photodiode signals. The characteristics
of the phase control and phase stability are investigated and residual phase disturbances resulting from thermal and
acoustic effects as well as depolarization are identified. Achievable beam quality as a function of fill factor is compared
to theoretical computations. Finally, perspectives concerning a coherent 4x15 W MOPA array with three stage
amplifying systems are outlined.
A coaxial carbon-dioxide waveguide laser with rf excitation at 96.5 MHz and an output power exceeding 1.3 kW is described. This laser uses a new concept of electrode segmentation for discharge homogenization in addition to a new kind of optical resonator for the coaxial geometry called the toothed mirror resonator.
Calculations of the waveguide mode coupling losses due to free space propagation between the waveguide endings and the resonator mirrors of a coaxial Cu-waveguide are presented. The results show that the mode coupling losses have a strong influence on the mode selection in a coaxial waveguide laser.
The common design of CO lasers for materials processing is
founded upon a fast, mechanially enhanced gas flow to remove the
heat released by the electrical discharge for laser excitation. The
blower and the gas handling devices limit the compactness of this
system on principle. In this paper a diffusion cooled rf-excited CO
laser in stationary gas is described that works according to th
stripline laser concept.
Because this laser needs no gas circulation, it can be built
essentially more compact and of less weight than common systems.
With a modified cooling cycle it can act as a high power CO laser as
well. Experimental investigations concerning discharge and laser
parameters are described. The beam quality achieved with a stableunstable
waveguide hybrid resonator is compared with theoretical
calculations. Technological concepts for high lifetime sealed off
lasers are presented.
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